The MSC has revised the claims that accompany our ecolabel on certified products.
The revisions have been made to ensure alignment with requirements of a new European Union (EU) law established under the European Green Deal, which will require companies' claims about sustainability to be clear and substantiated and easy for consumers to understand.
Certification programmes such as the MSC are already well positioned to substantiate claims and set best practice for the industry. However, these recent revisions will ensure MSC claims are in line with new EU law, providing partners with greater assurance when they make claims in relation to MSC certified.
This global update to the MSC claims will impact all MSC partners who hold a licensing or marketing agreement, whether or not they operate within the EU.
Partners who use an MSC claim on products sold within the EU will need to implement these changes by 27 September 2026 to align with the new legislation. These changes also apply to products already on the market, so traders should consider this when considering timelines to revise claims on pack.
Details of the revised claims, why changes were necessary and what this means for MSC partners can be found below.
Why have the MSC claims changed?
Changes to the MSC claims have been made to ensure it aligns with the requirements of the EU Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive. These changes are intended to ensure our partners can continue to make claims about the environmental performance of their seafood, which also follows evolving best practice and regulatory requirements when making consumer claims.
The new EU regulations look to prohibit the use of sustainability labels that are not based on a certification scheme with third party verification or established by a public authority.
The new regulations also prohibit the use of generic sustainability claims. This intends to protect consumers from greenwashing and allows them to make more informed purchasing decisions. The term 'sustainable' can now only be used on packaging or marketing materials if accompanied by a demonstration of officially recognised excellent environmental performance and consideration of social characteristics, or a detailed justification of the language used.
This legislation will come into force on 27 March 2026, after which there is a six-month implementation period for companies to be legally compliant by 27 September 2026.
The legislation will also apply to products already on the market, so traders should be aware to adopt changes well in advance to avoid having products with unsubstantiated claims on the EU market.
Do the MSC claims comply?
The MSC certification program is based on independently verified, science-based certification of fisheries. It also includes a Chain of Custody standard to track products through the supply chain offering high levels of assurance to market partners and consumers that products with an MSC ecolabel come from a MSC certified fishery.
The MSC is an ISEAL-accredited third-party certification scheme and aligns with the new EU definition of a sustainability label.
The changes relate only to the written (back of pack) claims which accompany the MSC ecolabel. The ecolabel itself will not change, as sustainability claims within a label that is based on a certification scheme (as defined in the directive) are not considered generic.
The MSC’s certification scheme is based on environmental performance alone, so our claims refer specifically to the environmental performance of certified fisheries (rather than environmental and social performance).
The revised claims
Revisions apply to all versions of the claim that we supply for use on product packaging, menus and fish counters. The revised claims are as follows:
1) This seafood meets the MSC's standard for environmental sustainability. This means it comes from a well-managed fishery that minimises its impact on the ocean and protects fish stocks for the future. msc.org
2) This seafood comes from a fishery that’s been independently certified to the MSC’s environmental standard for fishing. msc.org
3) The [insert seafood species] in this product comes from a fishery that has been independently certified to the MSC’s environmental standard for fishing. msc.org
4) Seafood certified to MSC’s environmental standard for fishing. msc.org
Compare the claims with the original versions.
Claims are currently only available in English. Translated versions will be provided by the end of May 2025 and partners will be notified when they have been published.
What does this mean for MSC partners?
All MSC partners will be required to change the claims they use to the revised ones, regardless of whether they operate in the EU or not.
The MSC evolves its claims in line with global best practice and emerging regulatory requirements. As well as the EU legislation, similar legislation and guidance has been or is likely to follow in other regions in the future. Consistent use of the claims also reduces the administrative burden on licence holders who operate in multiple jurisdictions and ensures a level playing field for all MSC partners using the claims.
What actions are required?
All partners globally will be required to take the following actions:
- Replace the current MSC claims text on packaging with one of the new versions. Translated versions will be provided by the end of May 2025.
- Replace the current MSC claims text on websites or on other promotional materials.
- If you are using any other customised text when communicating about the MSC (for example, as part of a marketing campaign) you should review and align this with the new claims text. We will provide you with further guidance on making credible claims in the coming months.
When do you need to make changes?
The deadline for implementing the changes varies depending on the location of the company and whether the product is new or existing.
New MSC labelled products
For all partners:
We encourage all partners submitting new product artwork for approval to start using the new claims as soon as possible.
Translated version of the new claims will be available by the end of May 2025. If partners submitting new approval requests are unable to wait until then, we will approve the use of the old version of the claim text.
From the beginning of June 2025, if partners submit artworks with an old version of the claim, we will recommend that the artwork is updated with the new version at the time of receipt.
Existing products
For partners based in the EU and partners distributing products into the EU:
Any products that have previously had artworks approved by MSC, will need to implement the new claims as soon as possible, to comply with EU legislation by September 2026 (the legislation comes into effect in March 2026 with an additional grace period of six months).
For partners based outside the EU:
Partners are not required to meet the September 2026 deadline; however, we strongly suggest you move to the new claims when you next update your packaging. This will help ensure all claims associated with your MSC certified products reflect best practice for environmental claims and ensure a level playing field for all MSC claims used by partners globally.
For all partners:
Please note, updating MSC claims on existing product packaging does not require reapproval by the MSC Licensing team, and you do not need to submit revised artwork for these updates.
If partners wish to make any other changes beyond the MSC claim text, such as changes to the Chain of Custody code or seafood species, the updated artwork must be resubmitted for approval as per the current guidelines set out in the MSC Ecolabel User Guide.
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Please note, it is the responsibility of each partner to ensure their labelling practices meet applicable regulations. However, the MSC Licensing Team and local outreach teams will continue to provide clear guidance and support to help partners stay compliant.
