Tuna tune-up: calls for clearer green claims on cans
There could be something fishy going on with the green claims slapped on tins of tuna.
Promises of "responsibly-sourced" and "planet-friendly" on cans of the go-to source of cheap protein are not always backed up with evidence.
The findings of the Marine Stewardship Council-commissioned study cast light on the way brands communicate to consumers rather than their actual efforts to avoid bycatch and source fish from healthy populations.
Indeed, the commercial tuna fishing industry has made inroads on environmental performance, with more than half the tuna caught and sold in supermarkets worldwide wearing the international not-for-profit's sustainability badge.
Associate Professor Dan Daugaard, lead researcher at the University of Tasmania, said the industry was at the start of a "healthy discussion" about clear and direct eco-labelling.
All businesses are under pressure to prove they are not making misleading environmental claims, as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission cracks down on the widespread practice known as 'green-washing'.
Assoc Prof Daugaard said imprecise or opaque wording, such as "eco-friendly", was fairly common across the 14 brands he assessed against ACCC guidelines for businesses hoping to avoid accusations of green deceit.
At the other end of the spectrum was the use of scientific terms consumers struggled to understand.
Brands that scored highest relied on concrete, clear phrases such as "line-caught to reduce bycatch" on their labels.
What separated the top performers from the rest was evidence to support claims, with brands getting around lack of space on packaging with third-party certification markers.
QR codes and website links were also used to provide more detailed information about supply chains.
"If that's not existing, then that's where the ACCC is saying 'it could well just be a greenwash'," Assoc Prof Daugaard told AAP.
Coles, John West, The Stock Merchant, Little Tuna, Walker's Tuna and Safcol emerged as leaders for their credible and clear packaging communication.
Even the best examples failed to execute on one of the ACCC's more aspirational asks, calling on brands to communicate their future plans to become more sustainable as a business.
"It's a very interesting area of almost pushing the brands to new levels of norms of what is expected by consumers," Assoc Prof Daugaard said.
Marine Stewardship Council Oceania program director Anne Gabriel said the report underscored the need for clearer sustainability messaging and evidence to support claims.
"Every purchasing and sourcing decision is a chance to protect our oceans and secure a healthier future for people and planet," she said.
Canned tuna is growing in popularity, new YouGov polling suggests, with one in four Australians eating more than they were two years ago
Health, convenience and affordability were common reasons cited by consumers for eating more of the tinned fish.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Value-hungry Aussies will benefit from even more auto brands, says BYD
Australia is already home to more automotive brands than any other country, making it one of the world's most competitive auto markets as well as one of the smallest, but Chinese giant BYD says value-focused local consumers will benefit from even more of them as brand loyalty disappears amid the cost of living crisis. 'Australia has the most brands available in any market, but I think what we're seeing is a shift in understanding as well,' BYD Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Kate Hornstein told CarExpert. 'The walls are coming down to new brands. I think brand loyalty is somewhat disappearing, and I think Australians are very driven, especially in today's climate, by value and what their own personal family needs. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'By being able to give them choice and more options, it's only going to be better for the customer.' BYD launched in Australia in 2022 and has since announced it will bring its Denza luxury brand – which will play a similar role for BYD as Lexus does for Toyota – to showrooms before the end of 2025. While it hasn't announced any others, BYD also has its Yangwang and Fangchengbao brands in China, and models from each are on the cards for Australia – although they will likely be sold as BYD or Denza models. Other Chinese automakers have also brought several brands to Australia, including Chery which recently launched its Omoda Jaecoo brand and potentially has more to come. Supplied Credit: CarExpert The first Geely-badged model – the EX5 mid-size electric SUV – went on sale here in March 2025, adding to other Geely owned or controlled brand already present locally including Volvo, Polestar, Smart and Zeekr. While many more are coming here, Australia currently has about 70 auto brands, despite the exit of several in relatively recent years including Holden, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Dodge, Chrysler, Citroen, Opel and Alpine, which will make a comeback in 2026 with the Alpine A390 hatch. In the space of less than five years, Australia will have added about a dozen new Chinese brands, providing more choice for consumers than ever, but also forcing each automaker to fight over a relatively small sales pie – 1.2 million total sales across all brands in 2024. That compares to roughly 30 million new vehicle sales annually in China, 16 million in the US, 2.8 million in Germany and 1.95 million in the UK. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Chinese automaker MG became a top-10 selling brand for the first time Down Under in July 2021. It's now firmly entrenched here and will launch its IM Motors premium electric brand here later this year. IM Motors is to MG what Denza is to BYD, which previously stated plans to eclipse local market leader Toyota by 2027. Ms Hornstein says Denza will be another alternative to luxury marques primarily from Germany. 'When we look at Denza, the [luxury car] segment is largely populated by European brands and I think when we look at cost of ownership, initial outlay, cost of extended ownership, it's incredibly expensive for Australians just given where we are geographically,' she said. 'So I think what this provides is another option for customers to explore when they are in the market for a car.' MORE: Everything BYD
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Value-hungry Aussies will benefit from even more auto brands, says BYD
Australia is already home to more automotive brands than any other country, making it one of the world's most competitive auto markets as well as one of the smallest, but Chinese giant BYD says value-focused local consumers will benefit from even more of them as brand loyalty disappears amid the cost of living crisis. 'Australia has the most brands available in any market, but I think what we're seeing is a shift in understanding as well,' BYD Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Kate Hornstein told CarExpert. 'The walls are coming down to new brands. I think brand loyalty is somewhat disappearing, and I think Australians are very driven, especially in today's climate, by value and what their own personal family needs. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. 'By being able to give them choice and more options, it's only going to be better for the customer.' BYD launched in Australia in 2022 and has since announced it will bring its Denza luxury brand – which will play a similar role for BYD as Lexus does for Toyota – to showrooms before the end of 2025. While it hasn't announced any others, BYD also has its Yangwang and Fangchengbao brands in China, and models from each are on the cards for Australia – although they will likely be sold as BYD or Denza models. Other Chinese automakers have also brought several brands to Australia, including Chery which recently launched its Omoda Jaecoo brand and potentially has more to come. The first Geely -badged model – the EX5 mid-size electric SUV – went on sale here in March 2025, adding to other Geely owned or controlled brand already present locally including Volvo, Polestar, Smart and Zeekr. While many more are coming here, Australia currently has about 70 auto brands, despite the exit of several in relatively recent years including Holden, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Dodge, Chrysler, Citroen, Opel and Alpine, which will make a comeback in 2026 with the Alpine A390 hatch. In the space of less than five years, Australia will have added about a dozen new Chinese brands, providing more choice for consumers than ever, but also forcing each automaker to fight over a relatively small sales pie – 1.2 million total sales across all brands in 2024. That compares to roughly 30 million new vehicle sales annually in China, 16 million in the US, 2.8 million in Germany and 1.95 million in the UK. Chinese automaker MG became a top-10 selling brand for the first time Down Under in July 2021. It's now firmly entrenched here and will launch its IM Motors premium electric brand here later this year. IM Motors is to MG what Denza is to BYD, which previously stated plans to eclipse local market leader Toyota by 2027. Ms Hornstein says Denza will be another alternative to luxury marques primarily from Germany. 'When we look at Denza, the [luxury car] segment is largely populated by European brands and I think when we look at cost of ownership, initial outlay, cost of extended ownership, it's incredibly expensive for Australians just given where we are geographically,' she said. 'So I think what this provides is another option for customers to explore when they are in the market for a car.'
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
Clueless about how your super is invested? You're not alone
Real Money, a free weekly newsletter giving expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money, is sent every Sunday. You're reading an excerpt − sign up to get the whole newsletter in your inbox. On the whole, the Australian superannuation system does a decent-ish job at being easy to understand. The payments themselves are set-and-forget, the rules are relatively clear-cut, and the central ethos of 'save money now so you can live well once you stop working' is one the majority of us get around. Compared to other parts of the finance and wealth world, super is a walk in the park. This vibe extends to funds too, which, generally, do a good job of explaining things to their members. If you're ever confused about something specific to do with your super, there's a good chance you'll be able to find an explanatory video or article on your fund's website (or in a wonderful article written by yours truly). What's the problem? Where this somewhat falls apart is when it comes to talking about how your super is allocated. As you probably know, funds offer different options for you to invest your super, with each given a relatively simple, nondescript name. The majority of Australians have their super in a 'balanced' fund, but other options include growth, high-growth, conservative and cash. Loading To a certain extent, these options do what they say on the tin, but what you're actually invested in is much less clear. A recent survey by Superhero found one in five Australians have no idea how their super is allocated. This statistic gets worse among younger workers, with research by ASIC indicating nearly half of Millennials admit they are not knowledgeable about maximising their super. What you can do about it So if you want to know exactly what your fund is investing in, read on:
