Loblaw extends sustainable seafood public awareness campaign

BRAMPTON, ON, June 8 /CNW/ - As part of Loblaw Companies Limited's (Loblaw) ongoing commitment to help educate Canadians about the challenges facing our oceans Loblaw has extended its in-store sustainable seafood public awareness campaign to all its participating corporate and franchised stores across the country. This public awareness campaign is in support of Loblaw's efforts to source 100 per cent of seafood sold in its stores from sustainable sources by the end of 2013.

Additionally, Loblaw has launched the first phase of its sustainable seafood web site www.oceansfortomorrow.ca. This web site will provide a resource for Canadians to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing our oceans and the importance of sustainable seafood. Loblaw is also pleased to announce that it has increased the number of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified products to nineteen, the most of any retailer in Canada.

"As a leading food retailer in Canada, we play a key role in feeding Canadians and we take our responsibility very seriously, including our commitment in supporting the health of our oceans," says Paul Uys, vice-president, sustainable seafood, Loblaw Companies Limited. "We believe that an engaged and educated consumer is the ocean's most powerful ally so we remain committed to our public awareness campaign about the importance of sustainable seafood in an effort to keep the issue top of mind with Canadians."

In February 2010, Loblaw kicked off its public awareness campaign in select corporate and franchised stores across the country and launched a facebook page www.facebook.com/LoblawSustainableSeafood. In May 2010, Loblaw made available the documentary about the state of our oceans, The End of the Line, to more than 700 Canadian schools across the country.

    
    About New MSC-Certified Products:
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In an ongoing effort to continue providing Canadians with additional sustainable seafood options, Loblaw is now offering a new MSC-certified product, PC(R) Blue Menu(TM) Wild Pacific Cod Fillets, that will be available at participating corporate and franchised stores across the country.

Also select Loblaws, Loblaw Great Food, Zehrs and Zehrs Great Food locations in Ontario will offer MSC-certified Wild Planet(R) Canned Sockeye Salmon and Wild Planet(R) Canned Pink Salmon. These products are the first national brand MSC-certified products available at stores operated by Loblaw. As the availability of the MSC-certified species needed for these new products increases, they will become available at other participating stores.

"With nineteen MSC-certified products, Loblaw remains the largest supplier of MSC-certified products in Canada," says Mark MacPherson, senior commercial manager, Marine Stewardship Council. "With the increase in MSC-certified products and a keen focus on their public awareness campaign, Loblaw continues to raise awareness of the need to protect of our oceans."

    
    About Loblaw Seafood Sustainability Commitment:
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Loblaw's sustainable seafood commitment is driven by one of its corporate social responsibility pillars, Source with Integrity. In May 2009, Loblaw made a commitment to source all seafood sold in its corporate and franchised locations from sustainable sources by the end of 2013. Affecting more than 50 per cent of in-store departments, this commitment covers all canned, frozen, fresh, wild and farmed seafood products, in all categories, across all brands.

For more information about Loblaw's commitment to sustainable seafood, please visit www.oceansfortomorrow.ca, www.loblaw.ca/seafood and www.facebook.com/LoblawSustainableSeafood.

A commitment to Source with Integrity is one of five Loblaw corporate social responsibility pillars, which also includes Respect the Environment, Make a Positive Difference in our Community, Reflect our Nation's Diversity and be A Great Place to Work.

About Loblaw Companies Limited

Loblaw Companies Limited, a subsidiary of George Weston Limited, is Canada's largest food distributor and a leading provider of drugstore, general merchandise and financial products and services. Loblaw is one of the largest private sector employers in Canada. With more than 1,000 corporate and franchised stores from coast to coast, Loblaw and its franchisees employ over 138,000 full-time and part-time employees. Through its portfolio of store formats, Loblaw is committed to providing Canadians with a wide, growing and successful range of products and services to meet the everyday household demands of Canadian customers. Loblaw is known for the quality, innovation and value of its food offering. It offers Canada's strongest control (private) label program, including the unique President's Choice(R), no name(R) and Joe Fresh Style(R) brands. In addition, the Company makes available to customers President's Choice Financial(R) services and offers the PC(R) points loyalty program

For further information: about Loblaw's sustainable seafood commitment or to speak to an expert about sustainable seafood please contact: Loblaw Public Relations Department, [phone] or [email protected]