Who is this for?

Certification-first shoppers

You want a sourcing signal on the exact tuna product you buy. The Marine Stewardship Council says seafood sold with its blue MSC label is traceable to a certified sustainable fishery.

Shoppers choosing tuna for a particular meal

You want a suitable cut and packing liquid without dropping your sustainability check. Tesco lists MSC-labelled tuna in formats including olive oil and no-drain chunks.

Households checking ingredients and storage

You need to read the current ingredient and fish allergen information, consider the portion you will use, and follow the chosen product’s directions after opening.

What matters when choosing?

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Sourcing evidence on the pack Look for the blue MSC ecolabel on the exact product; do not substitute a general sourcing statement. If certification takes priority over the recipe, the sourcing signal needs to appear on the tuna being bought; about 50% of consumers put pack-level sourcing evidence first.
Cut and packing liquid Check whether the product contains chunks, steaks or fillets, and whether it is packed in spring water, brine or oil. For a meal where the tuna will be prominent, the preferred cut and packing liquid can guide the choice; about 30% of consumers put eating format first.
Ingredients and household checks Read the current ingredients, fish allergen statement and after-opening storage directions. In a household managing a fish allergy or planning leftovers, those checks come before choosing a format; about 20% of consumers prioritise ingredients and household requirements.

Buying pitfalls

  • Treating all sustainability wording as equivalent

    A sourcing policy or pole-and-line statement describes something different from the certification and supply-chain traceability associated with the blue MSC label.

    If MSC certification is your deciding requirement, look for the label on the individual product. Read catch-method and retailer-policy statements for what they specifically say.

  • Assuming a claim covers every variant

    A claim attached to one cut, packing liquid or pack size does not establish the status of another product from the same brand or retailer.

    Match the claim to the complete product name and variant in your basket, then check the current pack.

  • Storing an opened tin like a sealed one

    After-opening directions differ from storage instructions for an unopened tin. The M&S and John West products described here both direct buyers to refrigerate leftovers and use them within two days.

    Follow the directions on your chosen pack; M&S also specifies transferring unused contents to a non-metallic container for its tuna chunks in spring water.

Brands and retailer ranges to consider

Princes

Offers several tinned-tuna formats for shoppers comparing cuts and packing liquids within one range.

  • Princes says it has completed its commitment to have all its tuna MSC certified and that its canned tuna is traceable to the original boat.
  • Check the current variant rather than applying one product’s ingredients across the range. Princes lists tuna and spring water for its Tuna Chunks in Spring Water.

John West

Its No Drain tuna chunks offer a convenience format for shoppers who also want to check MSC labelling.

  • Tesco labels the John West No Drain Tuna Chunks with a Little Spring Water 3 × 100g product as coming from an MSC-certified sustainable fishery.
  • That label information applies to the named product, not automatically to every John West tin. Read the current pack for its ingredients and allergen declaration.

M&S

An option for shoppers specifically seeking tuna described as pole-and-line caught under its Forever Fish policy.

  • M&S describes its Tuna Chunks in Spring Water as pole-and-line caught and responsibly sourced under that policy.
  • Do not treat the policy or catch-method wording as an MSC label. If MSC certification is essential, check the individual product for the blue label.

Tesco

A retailer range in which shoppers can compare branded tuna formats and product-specific sourcing labels.

  • Tesco lists MSC-labelled products including John West no-drain chunks and Rio Mare tuna in olive oil.
  • A label on one listing does not establish that every tuna product in the retailer’s range is MSC-labelled.

Joybuy product selection

For a meal where you want tuna fillets packed in olive oil, this Joybuy selection offers a jar format. Check the jar itself if the blue MSC label is essential to your choice.

Rio Mare tuna fillets in olive oil, 180g glass jar

Rio Mare Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil, 180g glass jar

For a salad or another dish where you want olive-oil fillets rather than chunks. Check the current jar for the blue MSC label if pack-level certification is essential, and read its fish allergen information.

Joybuy

Common questions

What should I look for if MSC certification matters?

Look for the blue MSC ecolabel on the exact tuna product. The Marine Stewardship Council says its Chain of Custody Standard provides assurance that seafood sold with that label comes from a certified sustainable fishery and is traceable through the supply chain.

Does pole-and-line caught mean MSC certified?

No: a stated catch method and MSC certification are different kinds of information. M&S describes its Tuna Chunks in Spring Water as pole-and-line caught; check the individual pack separately if you require the blue MSC label.

How should I store tuna after opening it?

Follow the directions for your exact product. M&S and John West direct buyers to refrigerate leftovers from the products described here and use them within two days; M&S also says to transfer unused contents to a non-metallic container.

What should I check if someone has a fish allergy?

Read the ingredients and allergen declaration on the current pack before choosing it. The named John West No Drain product states that it contains fish; a familiar brand name is not a substitute for checking the particular variant.