Tesco was crowned MSC UK Supermarket of the Year while Sainsbury’s won the ASC Retailer of the Year award at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) UK and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) UK Awards last night.
Six of the major UK supermarkets were recognised for their efforts to source, promote and sell sustainable caught and responsibly farmed fish and seafood at the glitzy ceremony, which took place at the Signet Library in Edinburgh.
The gala event also saw three leading lights from Scottish academia and its fishing and fish farming communities address the audience: Professor Baukje de Roos of the University of Aberdeen, MSC certified herring fisherman Alex Wiseman and Gordon Turnbull, from ASC- certified Isle of Mull Oysters.
Tesco was rewarded for the increases in the breadth of its sustainable seafood range and volume of certified products on sale.
Natalie Smith, Head of Agriculture and Fisheries at Tesco, said: “As the UK’s biggest fishmonger, we’re passionate about promoting healthy oceans and fish stocks, and providing our customers with responsibly sourced seafood. That’s why we’ve committed to source 100% MSC-certified tuna by the end of 2025—a milestone that’s helped us grow our MSC-labelled range across all categories to 77%. We remain dedicated to driving continuous improvements throughout our supply chain and supporting more fisheries on their journey to MSC certification.”
Sainsbury’s continued its winning streak for the fourth year, earning the title of ASC UK Retailer of the Year. The retailer stood out for its 100% commitment to sourcing ASC-certified seafood and for offering the highest share of responsibly farmed products both in-store and online.
Dave Parker, Head of Aquaculture and Fisheries at Sainsbury’s, said: “We're passionate about the welfare of animals in our supply chains, and committed to working closely with our partners to deliver good food that is sourced responsibly, for everyone, every day. We're delighted to be recognised with this award from the ASC, reflecting the hard work of our teams and partners who make it possible to offer a wide range of responsibly sourced seafood products to our customers. We’re excited to keep working with the ASC to grow our range even further and continue leading the way in this space.”
Lidl and Iceland were hot on Tesco’s heels, receiving the Silver and Bronze award respectively in MSC’s Supermarket of the Year category. Meanwhile, Ocado picked up the prize for MSC UK Online Brand of the Year for a fourth year running and Princes took home MSC UK Seafood Brand of the year for the second time running.
Consumers in the UK and Ireland spent a record-breaking £1.5 billion on certified sustainable seafood last year (2023/24) marking a 12% increase from the previous year.
George Clark, MSC Programme Director UK and Ireland, said: “Year by year, we’re seeing the major supermarkets source, promote and sell more sustainable seafood than ever before. The science is clear, it’s what customers want, and rewarding the efforts of responsible fishing fleets that are helping to protect our fish stocks while recognising those that bring it to our homes and plates, is such a pleasure.”
Maud van den Haspel, ASC General Manager for the UK and Benelux, said: “These awards highlight the collective effort of the seafood industry determined to do better — from feed mills, farmers and processors to brands and retailers. Every winner is proof that when we work together with a shared purpose, we can transform seafood farming towards environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
“With more UK consumers than ever choosing ASC-labelled seafood, we’re seeing how responsibility and growth can go hand in hand. I hope these achievements inspire even more partners to join us in shaping a brighter, more sustainable future for farmed seafood.”
Reflecting a growing consumer appetite for responsibly farmed seafood, demand for ASC-labelled products continued to surge in 2025 — with 857 certified products now available across the UK, marking a remarkable 19% increase since October 2024.
The UK’s aquaculture sector continues to grow responsibly, with the number of ASC-certified farm sites rising by 15% to 83 nationwide. As of October 2025, three feed mills across the country are also ASC-certified — further strengthening the foundation for a more transparent and sustainable seafood supply chain.
In other MSC awards, Asda reaped the benefits of increased sales of MSC certified cod fillets thanks to their Sustainable Seafood September campaign which promoted the blue ecolabel in the chilled section of 337 stores. This earned Asda the MSC UK Marketing Campaign of the Year award.
The MSC UK Product of the Year 2025, voted for by consumers, was won by Waitrose for its No.1 Moules Marinière with Wild Garlic & Chardonnay, made with rope-grown mussels harvested in the Shetland Islands.
Northcoast Seafoods and New England Seafood International won the awards for MSC UK and ASC UK Retail Supplier of the Year respectively, for their success in championing sustainable seafood. Birds Eye was named ASC UK Brand of the Year and MOWI’s Scottish salmon fillets won the consumer vote for ASC UK Product of the Year.