Globally, and in Canada, greenwashing has increasingly become a prominent issue across many sectors, including seafood. That’s why, in June, many conservation groups welcomed new greenwashing amendments to Canada’s Competition Act that will require companies use an “adequate and proper test” or “internationally recognized methodology” to substantiate their claims. However, there was concern that these new requirements lacked specificity for companies and consumers alike. In response, the Competition Bureau recently held a public consultation to develop enforcement guidance.
In our SeaChoice submission to the Bureau, we drew on our 2020 investigation which assessed the rigour of 234 seafood environmental claims across 181 seafood products sold in the Canadian retail marketplace. We emphasized that our investigation found misleading and unsubstantiated claims are present on seafood products sold by Canadian grocers, with the potential to undermine improvements truly aimed at sustainability – highlighting the need for clear robust guidance and enforcement by government authorities.
The most commonly found environmental claims on seafood products are company self-declarations (e.g. “sustainable” or “responsible” logos and statements but with no third- party verification). Our investigation found these self-declarations often lacked evidence to back up their claims with only 35% verified as coming from environmentally friendly sources. The problem is likely exacerbated by the fact there are no Canadian regulations that define the term “sustainability”, or the like; meaning its interpretation is left to those who claim it. This ambiguity allows the potential for questionable claims to enter the market.
Our submission also warns the Bureau that eco-certifications can also act as a means of greenwashing and/or misleading consumers with their promises. An example of this was the recent daylighting of evidence of environmental damage associated with the Best Aquaculture Practices certification in an open letter from more than 70 environmental, animal welfare, and community groups from 18 countries. The letter listed evidence of numerous BAP certified farms and facilities associated with ecosystem degradation, illegal activity, and/or negative impacts to endangered species. Examples were found in all major salmon farming regions: the U.S., Norway, Chile, Canada, Scotland, and Australia.
Greenwashing doesn’t only occur on products at the store. It can be found at a company or sector-wide level as well. Companies often utilize a number of avenues and platforms to communicate and potentially embellish their environmental credentials, whether through online websites, social media, traditional advertisements, industry public relations talking points, and/or corporate sustainability reports.
The salmon farming industry provides numerous examples of misleading and uncredible claims. For example, the salmon industry often claims that ‘salmon aquaculture plays an important role in feeding the world’ and/or ‘eat a farmed fish, save wild fish’ (and the like). This misleading claim ignores the millions of tons of wild fish per year to feed carnivorous farmed salmon. A recent peer reviewed study found the industry is likely draining the ocean more than previously realized with new estimates of four or five kilograms of wild fish needed to produce one kilogram of farmed salmon. It also notes the industry’s hunger for wild fish takes fish from vulnerable coastal communities that rely on local fisheries for sustenance and/or income.
We call on the Competition Bureau to evaluate all potentially misleading claims, including eco-certifications. Our submission recommends that the onus is placed on companies marking the environmental claims to demonstrate that such claims are based on published, peer-reviewed and internationally recognized science-based evidence. Importantly, this evidence should be made publicly available and easily accessible for shoppers.
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