Iceland has made a significant commitment to enhancing the welfare of crustaceans in its supply chain. By the end of 2027, the retailer will eliminate the practice of eyestalk ablation from its own-label prawn products, opting instead for electrical stunning.
This strategic decision follows collaborative efforts between Iceland’s technical team and its suppliers to develop a transition plan. This plan aims to “maintains product quality, protects affordability for customers and supports practical improvements in farming standards.”
Eyestalk ablation, which involves removing one or both eyestalks from crustaceans, has faced scrutiny, as demonstrated by a recent protest organized by the International Council for Animal Welfare outside an Iceland store last month.
Furthermore, Iceland previously announced its commitment to increasing its offerings of Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) labeled seafood. The company promises that all its own-label whole prawn products will carry ASC certification by the end of 2026.
With this recent announcement, Iceland joins the ranks of major retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Co-Op, Waitrose, and M&S in elevating prawn welfare standards.
“We’re proud of the steps we’ve already taken to improve welfare in our seafood sourcing, but we know that prawn welfare is an area of wide concern and industry focus, with much progress now in place across many businesses,” stated Stuart Lendrum, director of product, packaging, and sustainability at Iceland.
“That means eliminating eyestalk ablation and integrating electrical stunning in a way that is practical, science-led and supports long-term supplier partnerships, while continuing to provide quality, affordable food for families across the country.”
“We’re pleased that our suppliers are backing this direction, and that we are now on a clear path to eliminate ablation, with the majority of this delivered in 2026 and to integrate electrical stunning across our own-label prawn range by the end of 2027.”