Seafood Counter from a Walmart Store. (Photo: Walmart)

Greenpeace and other organizations urge Walmart to offer 'ethical and sustainable' tuna

Greenpeace and other environmental organizations, trade unions and human rights and labour condition organizations have urged Walmart, through a joint letter, to take responsibility for ensuring that its supply chain of fishery products is free from abusive labour practices and illegal fishing.

In 2015, Greenpeace launched a global campaign to reform the "out of control" tuna industry.

From the beginning, major U.S. and international unions stood with the organization in solidarity, calling on tuna giant Thai Union to commit to sustainable and ethical sourcing across its global supply chains.

The aim of the letter is to ensure sustainable and ethical supply chains for all tuna products sold in stores, starting with Walmart’s Great Value brand.

Walmart, which is responsible for one quarter of U.S. canned tuna sales, buys tuna from Thai Union Group, a company that has been under the spotlight for its links to human rights and labour abuse, including forced labour and human trafficking, in some of its seafood supply chains.

The supermarket chain has also been involved in supply chain scandals not providing sufficient assurances that its supply chains are socially responsible, the letter points out.

Greenpeace claims that irresponsible labour practices and illegal, destructive fishing are interconnected, and states that under its Corporate Social Responsibility commitments, Walmart has the responsibility to provide its millions of customers with sustainable and ethical fishery products.

While the retail giant already provides its customers with a more sustainable tuna option (Ocean Naturals), the signatories of the letter say this is not enough when it comes to addressing the chronic human rights and environmental horrors associated with the majority of its tuna offerings, and what is needed to transform a brutal and lawless industry.

The letter ends urging the company to lead the U.S., Canadian, and international retail sectors to make that iconic seafood staple a more responsible one.
 
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