/PRZWT/ As the Spring Festival approaches, the traditional custom of "having an abundant harvest every year" makes seafood an indispensable part of the festive meal. With consumers increasingly concerned about green environmental protection and sustainable lifestyles, this year's Spring Festival has given new meaning to "what kind of fish to eat and how to choose fish". Against this backdrop, Metro recently collaborated with the international authoritative non-profit organization Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to officially release the "Joint Initiative on Sustainable Seafood Consumption during the Year of the Horse Spring Festival", providing consumers with guidance on responsible and sustainable seafood consumption choices, and taking a significant step in leading the sustainable consumption trend among retailers and supermarkets, which is of exemplary significance in the industry.
Initiative leads the way: Celebrating family gatherings while promoting marine ecological protection
This joint initiative starts from the aspects of sustainable labels, procurement channels, and cooking methods, providing consumers with clear guidelines for sustainable seafood consumption during the Spring Festival. The initiative clearly states that when consumers purchase seafood, they should prioritize choosing products that are friendly to the marine ecosystem and whose fishing methods comply with the principles of sustainable development. For example, products with the MSC "little blue fish" label on the packaging - this label indicates that the raw materials of the product come from fishing grounds that meet the MSC sustainable fishing standards. Consumers can also learn about the sustainable fishing stories behind the products through the MSC official website, making each conscious purchase a practical action for protecting the ocean.
Furthermore, the joint initiative also calls on consumers to go to reputable supermarkets with strict quality control to purchase certified seafood with the MSC eco-label. At the same time, when stocking up for the holidays, they should practice the concept of rational consumption, purchase in accordance with needs, process carefully, and reduce food waste. This way, the meaning of "year after year having plenty" can be deeply integrated with modern sustainable living concepts.
Metro has created a reliable green and healthy "shopping cart" for the New Year's shopping.
The implementation of the initiative ultimately aims to serve consumers' dining tables. Relying on deep cooperation with MSC and the advantage of direct sourcing from global production areas, Metro has already made sustainable seafood a rich choice for all its stores and online platforms across the country. It is known that in mid-to-late January 2026, the sales of MSC-certified sustainable seafood at Metro increased by 47% compared to the previous period, reflecting consumers' recognition of the sustainable concept and high-quality seafood. During this year's New Year Shopping Festival, Metro's supply of sustainable seafood covered various popular ingredients for the New Year's feast, such as cod, halibut, and Arctic prawns. Most of these products originated from pure sea areas and were caught using sustainable fishing methods, combining excellent taste with rich nutrition. Combined with the cooking guidance from renowned chefs in the "MSC Blue Recipe Book", it has become a healthy and delicious choice for the Spring Festival family gatherings.
In addition to sustainable seafood, Metro's green and healthy New Year supplies also include a variety of products such as fresh meat, vegetables, and fruits. For example, the "Mizuda" traceability system is integrated into the products like the high-quality mountain beef and valley beef brisket from Maizhenxi, the Wuchang rice, and the large-sized fresh eggs that can be eaten raw. Consumers can scan the QR code to learn about the entire life cycle information of the products from the source of origin to the shelves. There are also organic fruits and vegetables from high-quality core production areas, which retain their original flavor and natural nutrition, providing more possibilities for a healthy, environmentally friendly, and reliable home banquet during the Spring Festival.
By fulfilling its commitment to sustainability, Metro has set a new benchmark for sustainable procurement.
As one of the core initiators of this joint initiative, Metro is promoting the concept of sustainable seafood consumption through various means such as store displays and public awareness campaigns, making it a tangible consumer experience for customers and making "Choose the Little Blue Fish" deeply rooted in people's minds. At the same time, Metro continues to prioritize the purchase of seafood that complies with sustainable development principles. The wild-caught imported deep-sea fish it sells are expected to fully meet the MSC certification requirements by the end of 2026, taking concrete actions to drive the seafood supply chain towards a more sustainable direction, and setting a benchmark for sustainable procurement in the retailer and supermarket industry.
A relevant official from Metro stated that this joint initiative demonstrates the close connection and efficient integration between New Year's shopping for food and marine ecological protection. In the process of guiding sustainable consumption and safeguarding the sustainable development of fishery resources on a daily basis, retail enterprises can also play a crucial role. Metro will deepen its cooperation with authoritative organizations such as MSC in the future, continuously enrich the range of sustainable-certified products and categories, and improve the food safety traceability system. This will enable more consumers to easily practice the concept of sustainable consumption during their daily purchases, and jointly protect the blue homeland for future generations.
