The MSC has named CARREFOUR BELGIUM’S BEST SUPERMARKET FOR FRESH FISH IN 2022.
In 2022, the title of “best fresh fish supermarket” goes to Carrefour Belgium.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has presented Carrefour with a prize for their efforts in achieving MSC certification and traceability.
With only one other supermarket that has a fresh fish counter still maintaining MSC certification and adhering to traceability requirements, Belgium’s Carrefour is the only supermarket to do so.
In the year 2022, on the 28th of November, in the city of Zaventem Carrefour Belgium has received MSC certification and traceability recognition for its efforts. In Belgium, the organization has just begun giving out Sustainable Fish Awards. These awards were created to honor the businesses and organizations in Belgium’s fishing industry for their outstanding contributions to environmental responsibility. In fact, many groups are working hard these days to ensure that fishing can continue to be practiced sustainably and that fish stocks are protected for future generations.
When it comes to large-scale retailing and fish, Carrefour is undoubtedly the authority. At the fish counter, you can find a variety of sustainable seafood options, as well as about ten products from the Carrefour Quality Line (CQL), including mussels, oysters, Ardennes trout, sea bass, salmon, gilt-head breams, and prawns from Madagascar. As a result of their development within the framework of sustained collaboration, CQL products are guaranteed to be the real deal. The producer is compensated fairly, and the production process is eco-friendly.
In response to Carrefour’s win, the MSC offered its congratulations:
Carrefour has been able to keep an open line of communication with the MSC about their selection and information sharing practices for several years now. Both of these were highlighted by the panel as areas where Carrefour excelled. Carrefour is in a one-of-a-kind position to interact with customers because of the fresh fish it sells, which is displayed on beds of ice. At present, Carrefour is the only supermarket chain that stocks perishables to maintain MSC certification and comply with traceability standards. When a fish is certified as sustainable, its provenance is checked by an outside organization. This allows Carrefour to display the MSC label on non-packaged products and gives them credibility when talking to consumers about sustainable fish. We keep in touch with Carrefour in the hopes of achieving further successes together.
As Geoffroy Gersdorff, CEO of Carrefour Belgium, put it, “We are the only retailer in Belgium that is physically present at the Zeebrugge and Ostend auctions, so we are able to select the very best merchandise.” Carrefour is honored to receive this recognition and has reaffirmed its firm commitment to the food transition. Because of this, you can rest assured that the fish you buy in the morning will be available in stores the very next day. Fish is prepared for sale by trained fishmongers, who prepare it in preparation for sale at retail counters where customers can ask for recommendations and pick out the specific cuts of fish they desire. Carrefour sees a spike in sales of seafood and fresh fish in the weeks leading up to Christmas. As the largest fishmonger in Belgium, 40 of our hypermarkets carry fish for sale.
Those who will be participating on the panel
The following industry experts made up the independent panel that decided to give out this award:
Hans Polet, Director of the Agricultural and Fisheries Research Center’s Institute for Basic Research
Sarah Braeye is the project manager in charge of the Superlijst Rikolto initiative.
Managing the ASC market development team is Sarah Hennin.
Chef and owner of Jean sur Mer Harbour Café, Jan Kegels
