Lidl Germany plans to only sell MSC labeled fresh and frozen products in the permanent assortment from 2017 onwards; from 2018 all farmed fish sold in the permanent assortment will be certified ASC or organic. This ambitious goal was published in a statement that sets out terms for the purchase of fish and seafood.

The statement includes important milestones:

• Until the end of 2016, QR codes will be displayed on all packages of fresh fish, frozen fish, fish delicacies and canned fish at Lidl Germany to provide consumers with product traceability and transparency information. More than half of all fish products sold at Lidl Germany can already be traced back to the point of origin by customers online.
• From 1 January 2017, Lidl Germany will only sell MSC certified products in their permanent own-brand fresh and frozen fish range. During a transition phase in 2017, the retailer will also allow products from fisheries that have successfully concluded the MSC pre-assessment and are in the process of full assessment.
• For their farmed fish and seafood portfolio stocked permanently, Lidl Germany will only sell products certified either ASC or organic by January 1, 2018.
• Lidl Germany will also expand their offer of MSC/ASC certified limited-time promotional products with the goal of achieving full transition for all such articles.

The food retailer has been committed to sustainable fish and seafood resources for years and already has a wide range of seafood products from certified sustainable origins on its shelves. With this public commitment, Lidl Germany will now consistently rely on the support of sustainable fishing and responsible aquaculture to meet the needs of their customers.

Ines Biedermann, MSC commercial manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland congratulated Lidl Germany on their commitment to sourcing sustainable fish: "Lidl Germany offers a great range of seafood from sustainable origins that have been independently certified.  By doing so, Lidl is rewarding responsible managed fisheries worldwide. The commitment by Lidl Germany is exemplary and is of great value to the conservation of biodiversity in our seas."

Barbara Janker, ASC commercial marketing manager for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia, said: "I am delighted that Lidl Germany has set itself such ambitious goals. Lidl’s participation in the ASC programme gives important signals into the supply chain and helps raise consumer awareness of the ASC. With its latest decision, Lidl Germany is promoting the development of a responsibly managed aquaculture industry."