Posted on September, 30 2011

Singapore – Prominent Singapore-based supermarket chain Cold Storage has joined the WWF Singapore Sustainable Seafood Group and marked its commitment with an announcement that it will stop selling all shark fin and shark products in its 42 outlets across the country.

WWF Singapore Sustainable Seafood Group was launched in April this year and provides businesses with the guidance they need to source and promote sustainable seafood while also playing a role in protecting the marine environment.

“We want to play our part towards caring for the environment. Our team is committed to sourcing for quality, sustainable seafood and other products in our efforts to achieve long-term sustainability and marine conservation,” explained Mr Victor Chia, CEO, Cold Storage Supermarket.

Cold Storage is the first supermarket in Singapore to implement a  “no shark fins policy”. It is also the nation’s first retail food chain to source and offer a wide range of sustainable seafood recommended by WWF and offer Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified seafood such as the hake fillet from South Africa.

The supermarket is a subsidiary of Dairy Farm, a leading pan-Asian food retailer that operates more than 5,300 outlets and employs some 80,000 people in the Asia-Pacific region.

“WWF is  happy to support Cold Storage in its efforts to make its retail operations more sustainable and promote responsible consumption in Singapore,” said Ms Amy Ho, Managing Director, WWF Singapore. “For a nation where seafood is a popular meal choice, Cold Storage’s commitment offers consumers an opportunity to make choices that will protect fish stocks and endangered marine species over the long term,” she added.

Mr Patrick Caleo, Country Manager Australia and New Zealand, Marine Stewardship Council says: “The Marine Stewardship Council applauds Cold Storage’s efforts to provide customers with the choice of purchasing seafood sourced from sustainable fisheries, and we look forward to working with them in their efforts to offer MSC certified wild-caught seafood products across their stores in the future. As a result of Cold Storage’s efforts thousands of Singaporeans will have access to sustainable seafood which is a great development, and the company should be commended for playing its part in safeguarding seafood stocks for future generations.”

Presently, SODEXO Singapore and Fairmont Singapore are members of the WWF Singapore Sustainable Seafood Group.

An average of 100,000 tons of seafood is consumed each year in Singapore, making it one of the biggest seafood consumers in the Asia-Pacific region. Most of this is imported from the Coral Triangle, the world’s most diverse marine environment.