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Lifting the scales – Aldi and the MSC gives insight into how you can enjoy seafood sustainably

This Sustainable Seafood September, Aldi has partnered with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to help shoppers enjoy seafood while also remaining conscious of the environment.

The below tips have been curated by Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director for Aldi UK, and experts from the MSC to help shoppers do just that.

From trying alternative species and products, to myth busting the frozen versus fresh debate, here are several ways to buy sustainable seafood.

1. Something blue

It seems an obvious place to start, but seafood products that display the blue Marine Stewardship Council, or MSC, ecolabel have been certified against the highest sustainability standards.

It is a label present throughout the aisles of Aldi, and helped the supermarket sell the largest volume of certified sustainable seafood in UK supermarkets in 2022.

Founded in 1997, the MSC’s blue ecolabel scheme covers more than 1,500 products throughout the UK, with dozens of products on shelves in Aldi having the highest sustainability rating.

2. Get creative with cans

Canned fish is having a real moment in the spotlight.

Everyone from TikTok creators to serious foodies have been extolling the charms of this easy fish supper. If you know which cans to buy and what to do with them, you can create delicious, satisfying low-cost meals.

People are often surprised by how delicious canned fish can be, and at Aldi you can find a wide variety of products including canned salmon and tuna with the blue MSC ecolabel.

3. Don’t fear frozen

The frozen versus fresh debate is still a hot topic among seafood lovers. The rumour that fish loses its taste, freshness and nutrients when frozen isn’t true at all!

Eating frozen MSC certified fish is one of the best ways to eat seafood sustainably. It dramatically cuts household food waste and is a great way to bulk buy and maximise your mealtime ingredients – Aldi has hundreds of recipes to help shoppers create mouthwatering meals.

Most fish is frozen as soon as it is caught, quickly preserving all its flavour and nutritional goodness for you to enjoy once cooked and paired with whatever you are in the mood for.

4. Switch up your species

Are you crazy for cod or a stickler for salmon?

In the UK, the most popular fish species among seafood eaters are known as the big five: cod, haddock, tuna, salmon and prawns.

While you can buy many of these species at a relatively good price, and with the blue MSC ecolabel, there are lots of other lesser-known alternatives that may be cheaper, just as sustainable and equally as tasty.

Pollock is a good example of a great whitefish alternative, which is in the same family as cod. It can be found in Aldi stores, with products including The Fishmonger Fish Fillet Burgers and The Fishmonger Breaded Fish Fillets.

5. Get shellfish savvy

Shellfish is simple to cook, can have a low ocean impact (if MSC certified), and can be found at affordable prices in many UK supermarkets, proving it’s not just reserved for fancy restaurants or seaside establishments.

Mussels, for example, are a brilliant sustainable choice. They have a lower carbon footprint compared with other protein sources because they need very little to thrive, feeding off organic particles found in the ocean. As filter feeders, mussels can also create a cleaner, healthier environment for other aquatic species.

If you want to bring the fresh taste of the ocean home, then look out for some of the best low-cost shellfish available with the blue MSC ecolabel including Scottish mussels from Aldi stores. 

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