Sustainable Fish Sourcing Policy

Sustainable fish sourcing policy is an important element in sustainable procurement. To continually promote sustainable fishery, REWE Group is working together with its suppliers on drawing up concrete measures for product labelling according to fish stocks. This will apply far more stringent standards to fish than the current labelling practices. We also delist fish species severely threatened by extinction and increasingly include private-label products with the MSC label in our portfolio.

REWE Group is pressing for a restriction on fishing equipment and trawlers and supports the initiative put forward by the Federal Association of German Fish Industry and Fish Wholesalers. The Group is promoting the development of fish friendly fishing equipment and the use of environmentally friendly fishing techniques (rounded hooks for long-line fishing, use of small magnets to scare off sharks, reduction of trawl fishery with its destructive deep sea trawl nets, ban on trawl fishery in coral reefs).

All fresh fish counters are audited according to the MSC  product chain certification standard. This standard provides for a seamless traceability from the end consumer all the way to the fisheries. The decision for an independent certification of fresh fish counters constitutes an important contribution to achieve transparency and traceability in the sales of fresh fish over service counters.

We aim to promote aquaculture through setting up specific projects where we cooperate with our suppliers in developing minimum criteria for aquaculture (social fairness, avoiding outbreaks, appropriate stock densities, controlled use of medical feed mixtures, no synthetic growth enhancers, etc.).

REWE Group strongly condemns IUU fishery (illegal, unregulated and undocumented fishery) and demands that its suppliers provide 100% documented proof of their sources (proof of purchase, auditable traceability, etc.).

Furthermore, REWE Group demands a ban on discarding fish. Every bycatch must be counted as part of the stipulated quota and landed, respectively processed. We also favour setting up extensive, temporary protection areas as a measure to promote sustainable fishery management.