Add welfare to your shopping list with our new Supermarket Scorecards
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
As we share the fourth edition of The Snapshot: Industry Benchmark on Decapod Crustacean Welfare, we’re excited to see the seafood industry continuing to make real progress for these remarkable animals. And this year, we’re taking things a step further. Alongside the full report, we’ve created our new Supermarket Scorecards - simple, friendly guides to help consumers quickly see how their favourite retailers are performing on key crustacean welfare issues. Together, they help everyone from producers to everyday shoppers play a part in driving higher standards across the seafood sector.
The Snapshot 2025 – both big retailers and their suppliers are driving up standards
Since we began our evaluation of 30 major supermarkets, seafood processors, producers and food-service companies in 2022, we’ve seen consistent improvements across the supply chain. From the ways in which crustaceans are captured to the moment their lives end, more companies are rejecting inhumane practices and committing to reducing pain and suffering in the sea-to-plate journey.
Seven supermarkets improved their scores in this year, leaving only one (ASDA) in the bottom tier at the time of assessment. Marks & Spencer retained its spot as the top ranked supermarket, with Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco holding firm in the second tier. With our biggest grocery suppliers taking action on crustacean welfare, this is good news for people who want to buy and eat seafood that fits with their ethics and values.
Jane, our Senior Corporate Engagement Advisor reflects on The Snapshot results:
"With The Snapshot, we’ve seen fantastic progress among some major food companies who have chosen to take decapod welfare seriously. Each year, more businesses are taking action to remove more inhumane practices from our food supply chain. However, that just shines an even brighter light on those companies that aren’t doing enough to provide high quality, ethically produced seafood. Those who fail to step up will face tough questions from their customers about why they’re falling behind the crowd.”
Humane stunning and slaughter top the agenda as industry prioritise welfare
Among all welfare risks crustaceans face, humane killing saw the biggest shift in 2025, and this is exactly where we need progress most urgently.
Nineteen companies committed to beginning, continuing, expanding, or trialling electrical stunning for part of their crustacean range - a sharp rise from 12 in 2024. This signals a growing industry consensus: humane slaughter for decapods is not just possible; it is becoming an expectation.
In addition, 20 companies have publicly committed to not sell live crustaceans to the public. With the government confirming that boiling crustaceans alive and conscious is not legally acceptable, it is clearer than ever that slaughter must be carried out by trained professionals, for the protection of crustaceans and consumers alike.
All the major supermarkets have now eliminated live sales, a powerful signal to smaller retailers still lagging behind. At the time of The Snapshot 2025 assessment, ASDA had not yet published a policy, but we’re pleased they have since done so. Their updated commitments will be reflected in the 2026 scores.
Want to know where to shop more consciously and which supermarkets are doing the right thing for crustaceans? Read on…
Supermarket Scorecards: helping shoppers choose better seafood
Our annual benchmark report gives a detailed account of how the food industry is responding to calls for better crustacean welfare. The Snapshot aims to empower consumers to enjoy seafood without compromising on their values. To help make this information even more accessible, this year we’ve launched new The Snapshot: Supermarket Scorecards. A simple, at-a-glance tool designed to help you shop compassionately.
These scorecards reveal whether supermarkets have made full, partial, or no commitments to key welfare areas, such as humane stunning and slaughter, mutilations, capture methods, and more. Using an easy traffic light system, shoppers can quickly see who’s leading the way, and who still needs a push.
Molly, our Campaign Coordinator explains: “Consumers are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from, both on land and at sea. For those who choose to eat crabs, lobsters or prawns, it should be easy to see which retailers are raising standards and which are falling behind. Our new Supermarket Scorecards give shoppers a clear picture of each major supermarket’s policies and practices, so they can make informed, compassionate choices.
Seafood suppliers leading the way and driving change behind the scenes
Supermarkets have enormous influence over welfare through their sourcing policies, but this year’s Snapshot makes one thing clear: suppliers are increasingly the ones pulling the industry forward.
In fact, in 2025, seafood producers and processors outperformed retailers on average across most criteria. Sykes Seafood achieved the highest score in 2025, overtaking previous leader Marks & Spencer and joining them and two other processors, Young’s Seafood and New England Seafood International – Paignton, in the top tier.
By making high-welfare products available to supermarkets, suppliers can transform standards in the food industry and help give consumers what they want: good quality, ethical and humanely produced seafood.
Consumer choices can also increase improvements
Consumers also have an important role to play in driving up demand for high-welfare crustacean products. By voting with your wallet and saying ‘no’ to poor welfare, you can send a message to the poor performers and help improve the lives of millions of crustaceans every year. So, before your next grocery shop, make sure to check out our Supermarket Scorecards and find out which retailers are demanding more for crustaceans.
Together, we can make higher-welfare seafood not just available - but expected.
