Birdseye, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are transforming the frozen aisle, leaving their rivals’ shoppers out in the cold according to a report released today by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

The MSC UK Frozen Fish Report 2016 ranks major brands and retailers according to their ranges of certified sustainable frozen seafood products. Topping the list is family favourite, Birdseye, who recently became the UK’s first frozen brand to reach 100% MSC certified. Supermarket Sainsbury’s, the UK’s biggest overall retailer of MSC labelled seafood, takes second spot, closely followed by Tesco, who has made the most significant progress, tripling their MSC labelled frozen seafood in the past 12 months.

The vast majority (4/5) of consumers recognise the power they have to save the oceans by only choosing sustainable fish implying those at the bottom of the list need to catch up with the competition.

Falling behind

Iceland, Young’s, Morrison’s and Asda all sit at the bottom of the table with negligible ranges of MSC labelled frozen seafood. By contrast Lidl (fourth), who famously introduced the £5 frozen lobster, and Aldi (fifth) now use the MSC label on three quarters of their frozen range, proving that sustainable sourcing is possible while still maintaining low prices.

At the premium end of the market, Waitrose offer the second biggest range of species available eclipsing close rival M&S who sell less than a quarter of the number of MSC frozen products found in Waitrose.

Toby Middleton, UK Programme Director for MSC, explains, “Birdseye, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and the discounters have made great strides to provide the sustainable frozen seafood shoppers clearly want. We need all seafood brands and retailers to make the same commitment if we are to ensure healthy stocks for the future.

All of our research suggests a growing trend for sustainable seafood. Shoppers have spent more in this category for the third year running and three quarters believe we should only eat seafood from sustainable sources. Even fish and chips fans say they’d travel further to find an MSC certified chippie.”

Choosing MSC labelled seafood from fisheries, retailers, brands and restaurants ensures sustainable methods and helps protect the life in our oceans for generations to come.

Read the full MSC UK Frozen Fish Report 2016.