Amazon Lawsuit Sparks Debate Over Sustainability Certifications in Seafood Industry
A recent lawsuit against Amazon has reignited debate over the use of sustainability certifications in the seafood industry, particularly the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) logo. The suit alleges that several seafood brands selling on Amazon and associated retailers have misleadingly used MSC certification to market their products as sustainable.
Arlin Wasserman, founder and managing director of Changing Tastes, a food strategy consultancy firm, believes that the industry is overreliant on certifications like MSC. He suggests that a two-tiered system from MSC could help address this issue, with the top tier indicating that all requirements have been met and the second tier showing that the company is working towards improvements.
MSC's US Program Director Laura McDearis maintains that brands should continue to feel confident using the blue tick logo. However, she acknowledges that some backlash against certifications may be due to the high litigious landscape in the U.S.
McDearis notes that MSC has recently undergone a thorough legal review and added a statement to its packaging claims to comply with the European Union's Empowering Consumers Directive (ECD). The directive aims to eliminate unsubstantiated greenwashing claims in the E.U. market, effective from 27 September this year.