Orkla Health commits to global cod liver oil sustainability

07-Mar-2019 - Last updated on 07-Mar-2019 at 09:50 GMT

Norwegian cod fishery

Orkla Health, Norway’s leading cod liver oil producer, has pledged to display the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) blue fish label on its cod liver oil as over-fishing and the depletion of fish species are revealed to be a top consumer concern.

More than 5 million bottles of Möller’s cod liver oil - sold in more than 20 European and Asian markets - will be sold in 2019, bearing the blue MSC label  as Orkla aims to have 100% raw materials from sustainable sources by 2025.

Research by insights and strategy consultancy, GlobeScan, shows that health-conscious consumers are

increasingly looking for sustainably sourced seafood alternatives.

A survey of 2,800 consumers of health supplements and fish oil across Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the UK, showed that 46% put overfishing and the depletion of fish species within their top three concerns for oceans, wildlife and people – second only to ocean pollution (64%).

The most preferred way for this group to source information about sustainable fish and seafood is through packaging (58%) and 72% of those aware of the MSC label have a high level of trust in the MSC.

Hege Holter Brekke, CEO at Orkla Health said: “The MSC plays an important role in contributing to sustainable fishing practices. Adding the blue MSC label to all bottles of Möller’s gives us the opportunity to proudly tell the story of sustainability and provenance of this 160-year old brand. Möller’s is the original Norwegian liquid omega-3 based on Arctic cod liver oil developed with passion and knowledge by pharmacist Peter Möller in 1854.”

Möller’s has been sourced from Norwegian cod fisheries in the archipelago Lofoten and Vesterålen since 1854 and is a bi-product from the Arctic cod.

First MSC certified in 2010, the Norway North East Arctic cod fishery was re-certified in 2015, meaning that it meets all 28 indicators set out in the MSC’s standard for sustainable fishing.

Nicolas Guichoux, chief program officer at the MSC, commended Orkla's commitment and added: "The number of MSC labelled fish oil products available globally has doubled in the last five years as brands seek to appeal to more environmentally conscious consumers.

"We hope that other supplement producers will follow their lead by committing to use traceable, certified sustainable fish oil from fisheries helping to safeguard our oceans and seafood supplies for future generations.”