Compassion in World Farming has introduced the Salmon Retailer Spotlight, a new initiative aimed at assessing and enhancing the transparency and strength of animal welfare policies among UK retailers concerning farmed salmon. This evaluation covers fresh, frozen, and smoked salmon products.

The Salmon Retailer Spotlight focuses on retailers’ own welfare policies rather than their reliance on third-party assurance schemes. It complements the organisation’s existing Salmon Welfare Scorecard, which appraises salmon producers’ public welfare commitments, by applying a condensed set of criteria targeted at information already publicly reported by producers.

The assessment scrutinises six critical criteria considered essential for the welfare of farmed salmon: humane slaughter practices, limits on stocking density, fasting durations, the use of key welfare indicators, welfare standards for cleaner fish, and policies regarding recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).

A range of major UK retailers were reviewed for the initiative, including Aldi, Lidl, Amazon Fresh, Asda, Iceland, Marks & Spencer (M&S), Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Co-op, and Waitrose.

Louise Valducci, head of food business (EU programme) at Compassion in World Farming, emphasised the necessity of retailer-led welfare policies. Speaking to The Grocer, she said: “Certainty and transparency are key to any corporate buying practice – while assurance schemes have their place, there is an over-reliance on using them instead of retailers developing their own robust welfare policies.”

Valducci further noted the complexity assurance schemes can present to consumers: “Certification can be very confusing for the consumer, and often critical welfare issues are not easily visible and possibly aren’t addressed or considered within the schemes. This Spotlight is a great aid in making consumer welfare considerations a lot simpler and easier to navigate.”

Among the findings, over half of the retailers (seven out of twelve) state they adopt humane slaughter methods in their policies. Only four retailers—Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury’s, and Co-op—have established policies or adhere to certification schemes that limit stocking density to 17kg/m³ or less and restrict fasting periods to under 72 hours for all salmon handling procedures. Tesco’s fasting policy applies only to certain procedures.

Regarding cleaner fish welfare, six retailers ensure standards in their supply chains, though most depend on farm assurance schemes. Notably, M&S and Waitrose are the only retailers that have publicly committed to adopting more humane alternatives for sea lice treatment when such options are available.

The use of key welfare indicators is recognised by seven retailers, but only Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury’s, and Co-op publicly report these measures.

M&S uniquely discloses that it neither uses nor intends to source salmon from high stocking density grow-out recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Meanwhile, Co-op and Aldi acknowledge that these systems are currently not utilised during the grow-out phase.

Valducci highlighted the responsibilities of retailers, stating, “Retailers must develop and uphold their own dedicated salmon welfare policies, providing consumers with clear information about the welfare standards of the salmon they buy. Through their policies, retailers can work with their suppliers to ensure the most impactful welfare criteria are captured, implemented and adhered to.”

This initiative by Compassion in World Farming aims to prompt greater clarity and accountability in salmon welfare standards across the UK retail sector, providing consumers with more transparent information regarding the welfare of farmed salmon.