Food sustainability is becoming an increasing concern for Brits[1]– 88% UK adults choose to buy seafood from sustainable sources according to a 2018 poll. People are adapting their eating habits to make sure they’re not only getting a balanced diet from a nutritional perspective, but also making choices that will protect the environment in the process. But, with the abundance of information and advice available on how to make sustainable decisions, consumers might find it hard to filter the right information.
To shed light on this issue, UK range cooker brand Leisure teamed up with leading food experts and some of the most popular UK local brands to gather the latest insights on how to make sustainable, quality choices when it comes to the main food groups. As a result, they created a foodie guide that touches on common myths surrounding food sustainability and gives advice on how to make smart food choices when it comes to sourcing sustainable fish, veg, dairy and meat.
When it comes to fish, there’s no such thing as a sustainable species
With the issue of ocean pollution reaching alarming levels, and reports from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) that a third of global fish stocks are either depleted or being overfished, sourcing fish in a sustainable manner is more important than ever.
Although UK consumption is based around five main fish species (salmon, prawns, tuna, cod and haddock), MSC advises there’s no need to avoid ‘The Big 5’, so long as they are certified sustainable and consumers look for products with the MSC Blue Fish label: ‘This means it comes from fishers that have been independently certified to the MSC’s scientific standard for environmentally sustainable fishing.’
When it comes to seafood, ‘it’s a myth that we have to avoid popular species’, MSC advises when discussing which options are the most sustainable: ‘There is no such thing as a sustainable species – it depends how and where it is caught. Mussels from Scotland and Wales have been rigorously checked by scientists and have been reviewed by independent auditors on behalf of the MSC.’
To help us make an informed decision, Seafood Scotland (leading authority in the seafood industry) advises consumers to ask their local fishmonger questions about fish provenance and seasonality.
Read more here: https://www.leisurecooker.co.uk/inspiration/the-foodie-guide/the-fish-lover-guide