Wal-mart is giving a huge boost to the sustainable seafood movement. They haven't switched over to selling only sustainable seafood, they're going one better. Wal-mart is improving the sustainability of their current seafood supplies. It's now two years after Wal-mart committed to selling wild-caught seafood only if it's certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. They made a similar committment for farmed seafood, but there's no comparable eco-label yet so that's a murkier subject.
To implement their sustainability commitment, Wal-mart didn't take the easy road of switching suppliers. Instead, they're working to improve fisheries to make them sustainable. This is real leadership, and it deserves praise. It is improving the condition of our oceans.
Their approach will even help bring sustainable seafood to everyone, which was a plea from chef Barton Seaver who can only bring it to people who can afford his $65 ticket price at Hook.
Other seafood buyers are also working to improve fisheries, of course, but none matches the unexpected hero status of Wal-mart. Tweet
5 comments:
Mark, did Wal-Mart say something at the conference?
But what about all the cheap plastic crap they sell that breaks after 2 week and makes it way into the ocean where upon the sea life ingests it and dies?
Seriously though, its great to see the leading retail chain in the world taking the initiative like this. I have a such a negative image of Walmart. We shop there anyways because we are dirt poor and they will accept anything back to the store for whatever reasons with few questions (take note Target!). Now I can feel a little less guilty.
We actually drastically reduced our seafood consumption because the quality of "fresh" fish at our 2 regular grocery chains was horrible. They just looked so unappetizing. We can't afford to shop at the high end grocery chain in town either. So hopefully Walmart will bring in some seafood that is good for the environment and good for poor people like my family and I.
It's hard to be all pro-Walmart, but they have made some great changes when they didn't have to. Hopefully, this change will raise customer awareness and push other stores to do the same.
I love your blog, by the way! I found it through Best Green Blogs.
Your blog seems to be very interesting. Personally I like Walmart. I may find everything I need there. Much about Walmart one can find on www.pissedconsumer.com. Especially consumer reports on the quality of goods and services. The store is wonderful but the customer service is awful. And the problem can not be fixed in any way. No one listens to the voice of the consumers.
Hello. I find your blog very interesting. Since you have mentioned Walmart here I would like to tell that I do not find it that great as the others may. The thing is that the customer service is far from being perfect. I was going to return the purchase in two days after I bought it and the manager told me I could not do that. What is worse he did not give me the serious grounds for that. I was disappointed and went to this great site www.pissedconsumer.com to post a complaint.
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