Key Tools For Success

SPOTLIGHT: UK Retailer policies on salmon welfare

With 170 billion fish farmed globally (59 million in the UK), and 58% of Europeans eating fish at least once a month, the lack of legislation protecting fish welfare is a critical concern, allowing harmful practices to continue.

As eating habits shift away from red and processed meats towards leaner, healthier options like fish - and with salmon being the largest source of farmed fish in the UK - it is crucial for consumers to be aware of the welfare standards reported by each UK supermarket for this species.

Compassion has developed a Salmon Retailer Spotlight to illustrate how UK retailers position themselves against six key welfare assessment criteria for fresh, frozen and smoked salmon (own brand products).

The Spotlight complements Compassion’s Salmon Welfare Scorecard which evaluates salmon producers’ public welfare policies on salmon. The Retailer Spotlight uses a smaller subset of the same criteria, focusing on information that most producers already report against. It challenges retailers to demonstrate their commitment to welfare standards through their own policies, rather than relying on assurance schemes.

While assurance schemes have their place, there is an overreliance on using them instead of retailers developing their own robust welfare policies. This adds a layer of complexity between the consumer and the true welfare standards of the salmon they purchase. The Spotlight aims to simplify this by providing a clear and accessible view of UK retailers’ salmon welfare standards.

Key Findings: Salmon Retailer Welfare Policies

Compassion has actively engaged with retailers to support them on their welfare journey and encourages full transparency on their commitments and progress towards compliance. Based on the public corporate policies available, these are the key findings:

- Over half of UK retailers’ policies (7 out of 12) state that they adopt humane methods of slaughter.

- Only Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Co-op have policies in place, or adhere to a certification scheme, that limits stocking density to 17kg/m3 or less.

- M&S, Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Waitrose are the only retailers that limit fasting practices to less than 72 hours for all types of procedures, while Tesco’s fasting policy is limited to only certain procedures.

- Over half (7 out of 12) of UK retailers acknowledge the importance of using Key Welfare Indicators. However, only Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Co-op publicly report on these measures.

- Six UK retailers ensure welfare standards for cleaner fish in their supply chains, although most rely on a farm assurance schemes, rather than integrating these standards into their own corporate policies. M&S and Waitrose are the only two retailers that have made a public statement to adopt more humane alternatives for sea lice treatment when available.

- M&S is the only retailer that publicly discloses that they do not currently use high stocking density grow-out Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and have no plans to source from these systems in the near future. Co-op and Aldi acknowledge that there are no Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) used for the grow-out phase at present.

Consumer Demand for Ethical Aquatic Animal Welfare

A survey conducted by Compassion and the EuroGroup for Animals in 2024, across nine European countries, including the UK, revealed that an overwhelming 91% of respondents believe that the welfare of fish should be protected to the same or greater extent as other farmed animals. Additionally, 90% said they would like to buy fish raised in better welfare conditions.

Compassion urges retailers to ensure their public-facing policies accurately reflect the welfare standards of the products available on their shelves, thereby creating transparency for consumers. Such transparency is essential for empowering shoppers to make informed and ethical choices.

Salmon Welfare: Major Concerns

Compassion is asking retailers to report against two specific criteria in this Spotlight: a cleaner fish welfare policy and a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) policy.

Cleaner fish are widely used to manage sea lice in the salmon industry. Although relatively effective, there are welfare concerns about using one animal to support the farming of another. Therefore, we ask companies to first ensure the welfare of the cleaner fish and second, to create a statement of intent to pursue innovative sea lice treatments that do not involve using another animal. We acknowledge that these technologies are new and may not be commercially available at present.

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are an emerging technology that aims to bring fish farming onto land. Although not currently used in the UK for grow-out, their global adoption is increasing due to their perceived benefits in sustainability and environmental impact. However, these systems could be detrimental to the welfare of fish due to the lack of environmental enrichment and the high stocking density requirements needed to make the energy-intensive system commercially viable.

In this Spotlight, we ask retailers to highlight their stance on the current and future intended use of RAS within their policies.

Salmon RAS System

Salmon Retailer Spotlight: Key Welfare Assessment Criteria

Humane fish slaughter:

We're inquiring if salmon in the company’s supply chain are humanely slaughtered, meaning they are stun-killed using percussion or electrocution methods or are pre-slaughter stunned using effective percussion or electrocution, followed by a killing method before regaining consciousness. This ensures the fish do not experience unnecessary pain or distress during slaughter.

Lower stocking densities for farmed salmon:

We're asking whether the company ensures that farmed salmon in its supply chain are reared at low stocking densities, specifically at or below 10kg/m³. Lower densities are associated with improved fish welfare, reducing stress, aggression, and disease risk among fish.

Fish fasting policy:

We're seeking to determine if farmed salmon in the company’s supply chain are not subjected to fasting periods longer than 72 hours, whether before harvest or any other procedure where fasting is required. Limiting fasting duration supports better health and humane treatment.

Use of Key Salmon Welfare Indicators:

We're examining whether the company tracks and reports on the use of welfare outcome measures (WOMs)—these are indicators related to the physical, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing of fish. Reporting on these measures shows a commitment to monitoring and improving animal welfare throughout the production process.

Use of cleaner fish to treat sea lice

We're asking if the company uses cleaner fish e.g., wrasse or lumpfish to remove sea lice from farmed salmon, and if so, whether it ensures the welfare of these cleaner fish. We’re also asking if the company has made a public commitment to adopt more humane alternatives for sea lice treatment when available. This reflects concern for the humane treatment of all species involved in aquaculture, although Compassion advocates for ending the use of cleaner fish.

No use of high stocking density grow-out RAS

We’re seeking to determine whether the company uses or plans to use high stocking density grow-out Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). Compassion advocates for a ban of these types of systems.

Salmon Welfare: Urgent Call to Action for Industry Improvement

The Food Business team at Compassion engages with all UK retailers to develop their salmon welfare policies and improve their public reporting. However, more needs to be done across the industry to improve the welfare of farmed salmon.

We are calling on retailers to:

- Create and uphold their own dedicated salmon welfare policies, providing consumers with clear information about the welfare standards of the salmon they purchase.

- Use Compassion’s Spotlight to collaborate with their suppliers, ensuring the most impactful welfare criteria are captured, implemented and adhered to.

- Critically evaluate assurance schemes on their welfare credentials, ensuring the appropriate schemes are affixed to products that align with their salmon welfare credentials.

Finally, we urge consumers to use the information provided in the Spotlight to guide their choices about which products to buy and where to buy them.