John West has launched Trace Your Fish, an online platform that allows consumers to trace where their seafood comes from.
The launch of Trace Your Fish follows the release of research commissioned by John West that found Australians want greater transparency from the seafood industry.
While the pantry staple is consumed by more than 70 per cent of the population, the survey demonstrated that consumers care about sustainability but their knowledge of the complex topic is limited.
According to the survey, nine in 10 respondents want sustainability labelling made compulsory for canned tuna, while 76 per cent of Australians avoid purchasing canned tuna that is caught using unsustainable fishing methods but just 20 per cent can actually define the term ‘sustainable seafood’.
Furthermore, food provenance remains top of mind for consumers with 81 per cent of Australians regularly checking canned tuna labels for country of origin.
Australians are continuing to delve into where their food comes from as they seek out responsibly sourced products with 85 per cent of respondents stating that they would follow the journey of their seafood from catch to an if given the option.
“The results show that most Australians really don’t understand sustainable fishing so it’s our job as producers and industry advocates to help educate consumers and empower them to make decisions that protect the world’s vital marine resources,” said Katie Saunders, Simplot GM of shelf grocery.
“Trace Your Fish is part of our commitment to ensuring that John West tuna and salmon are responsibly sourced and allows consumers to follow the journey from the waters their fish was caught, to the cannery it was processed in,” Saunders said.
By entering a unique code found on John West tuna and salmon cans, detailed information about the product is made available including the species, the fishing area, the fishing method, and the cannery it was processed in.
John West has been working to improve the sustainability and traceability of its products for many years and in 2011 implemented a sustainable tuna sourcing policy, which sees John West work closely with partners and suppliers to continually improve fishing practices.
