Co-op signs up to prawn welfare policy
Co-op, one of the largest food retailers in the UK, has become the latest organisation to introduce welfare policies for farmed shrimp.
The retailer says that none of the shrimp – prawns, to UK consumers – in its supply chain will be subject to the practice of eyestalk ablation.
It has also committed to implementing electrical stunning for all farmed prawns by 2027.
A spokesperson for the organisation said: “At Co-op, we are committed to continuously improving animal welfare standards, and all our fresh and frozen prawns, including where used as an ingredient, are 100% ablation free and we will implement electrical stunning across our entire prawn supply chain by 2027. Support from organisations such as Aquatic Life Institute has been invaluable, and we’re proud to be making this change.”
Eyestalk ablation, which involves cutting or crushing one or both eyestalks from female shrimp, is used by some farmers to boost productivity and control the production cycle. Research suggests that it can lead, however, to reduced immune function and higher mortality rates.
The Co-op policy will impact an estimated 37,837,837* shrimp annually. Aquatic Life Institute played a key role in influencing and supporting Co-op’s decision, providing expert recommendations, industry insights, and technical resources.
This announcement is part of a wider campaign by ALI to engage major retailers and improve aquatic animal welfare policies across the industry. Co-op joins M&S, Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, which have released similar policies, in strengthening the industry momentum to align business strategies with animal welfare principles.
In working with companies like Co-op, Aquatic Life Institute aims to encourage comprehensive policies that include animal welfare as they can help businesses overall - by attracting and retaining customers, building brand loyalty, reducing risks, and setting companies apart from other competitors - on top of the ethical considerations.
By committing to a timeline to implement electrical stunning before slaughter, recognized as the most humane method by scientific studies, Co-op’ says its policy will ensure instantaneous unconsciousness before slaughter. This reduces the suffering of the prawns, which ALI argue experience extreme pain and distress before death in the current slaughter method of slow asphyxiation on ice.
“This shift highlights the business case for improving aquatic animal welfare—meeting sustainability goals, reducing reputational risks, and staying ahead of regulatory and market trends,” said Cecilia Valenza, Corporate Engagement Lead at ALI. “This is not just a Co-op success—this is a step toward industry-wide reform, encouraging other companies to adopt similar commitments. We urge other retailers to follow Co-op’s lead by committing to phasing out eyestalk ablation and implementing humane slaughter methods.”
The Aquatic Life Institute said it will continue working with Co-op to support the implementation of these commitments and continue to advise on additional improvements and welfare considerations.
For more on shrimp see the Shrimp Sector Focus at www.fishfarmermagazine.com/shrimp
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