Tesco has unveiled a new initiative aimed at enhancing sustainability within its seafood supply chain through the implementation of the Seafood Carbon Emissions Profiling Tool (SCEPT). This move is part of Tesco's broader strategy to achieve net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by the year 2050.

Natalie Smith, who serves as the Head of Sustainable Agriculture and Fisheries at Tesco, expressed the company's commitment to supporting its seafood suppliers in reducing their carbon footprint. In an official statement, she emphasised, “We recognise the responsibility we have to support our seafood suppliers in reducing their carbon footprint, in line with our collective net-zero commitments." Smith further stated the necessity for "accurate primary data to make informed choices" in this endeavour and highlighted that the rollout of the SCEPT, which has been developed by Seafish, is a crucial step forward.

The SCEPT is designed to assist businesses in calculating the carbon footprints of their seafood products, which includes both wild-capture and aquaculture sources. The tool is intended to help suppliers identify "emissions hotspots" within their supply chains, thereby providing valuable insights that can lead to significant improvements in sustainability practices.

As part of the initiative, Tesco recently organised a webinar aimed at educating suppliers about the SCEPT. During the session, Dr Stuart McLanaghan, Head of Responsible Sourcing at Seafish and a key figure in the tool's development, guided attendees through its functionalities. He commended Tesco for their dedication to implementing SCEPT and noted that some suppliers are already reaping the benefits of the user-friendly resource. He added, “The tool’s integration across UK seafood supply chains is also crucial for generating high-quality, industry-averaged datasets for benchmarking and subsequent public disclosure purposes."

Tesco has previously demonstrated its commitment to sustainability; its 100 largest suppliers have collectively achieved a 20 per cent reduction in manufacturing emissions. With over 90 per cent of Tesco’s total carbon footprint resulting from products and supply chains, the introduction of the SCEPT marks a significant progression towards achieving their environmental goals.

For more detailed information on the Seafood Carbon Emissions Profiling Tool, Tesco directs interested parties to the Seafish website.