Seafood Policy

SOURCING POLICY

Giant Eagle is committed to ensuring that all seafood products sold in its stores are harvested sustainably. This means that seafood is harvested at levels that maintain their availability for present and future generations.

• Giant Eagle commits to sell only seafood from fisheries that are managed by competent authorities and have a management plan in place that incorporates a science-based approach to ensure sustainability.
• These management plans consist of the following tenets:

If stock sizes are below management target levels, whether due to natural or man-made causes, management plans are established that enable rebuilding within a specified timeframe.

Sufficient data exists to determine appropriate harvest levels or practices.

Monitoring and compliance measures are in place to ensure that harvest levels are maintained within acceptable limits.

Enforcement exists to ensure that harvesters follow regulations, and to prevent illegal practices and unreported harvest.

All farm-raised seafood sold in Giant Eagle stores shall be certified by an aquaculture certification program. Aquaculture certification ensures that the production of the product does not negatively impact communities, workers, the environment, or human health through inappropriate use of chemicals or drugs.

All suppliers of wild harvested seafood sold in Giant Eagle stores shall demonstrate that their product meets the Seafood Sustainability Requirement defined above. If they are unable to provide evidence behind each of the bullet points, they shall acquire verification from a credible third party that the seafood is harvested at levels that maintain their availability for present and future generations.

For those products that are unable to meet the sustainable seafood requirement, producers must clearly demonstrate ways in which they are contributing to the improvement of the sustainability of their seafood so that they will meet the requirement at some point in the near future.

Giant Eagle supports all GSSI recognized certification schemes for farm-raised and wild harvested seafood.

Giant Eagle will not sell any seafood that is harvested using illegal methods, such as dynamite, poison, or a similarly destructive harvesting method. Giant Eagle will sell products harvested using legal means in regulated environments and will work proactively with the industry to encourage investment in gear and farming technologies that reduce seafood production’s impact on the environment. Giant Eagle will prioritize its sourcing to those harvesting methods that have the least impact on the environment and ecosystem, and that have the least amount of by catch.

Giant Eagle will require full traceability to the point of landing or farm pond of all seafood sold fresh, frozen, or in value-added products. Giant Eagle shall have immediate access to information on where the product was harvested. In order to understand the impact of sourcing actions, Giant Eagle commits to collecting detailed data of the seafood products it sells. Such data shall include but not limited to:

• Specie name and scientific name
• Country of origin
• Stock region the specie was caught or farm it was cultivated
• Type of gear used or aquaculture method used
• Volume of product purchased

Giant Eagle commits to educating its staff and customers on seafood sustainability issues. Employees will be trained to understand the complexity of seafood issues and to assist customers in deciding which seafood products to choose. Giant Eagle will further ensure that its suppliers are aware of seafood sustainability issues and that they are prepared to address them.

Giant Eagle will make information available to customers in publications, at the point of sale, and or online that empowers them with the information they need to make responsible and informed purchasing decisions based on their own values around community, the environment, and their health.

Each product Giant Eagle currently carries will be assessed by the supplier against the requirements outlined in this policy. For those products that don’t meet these requirements, supplier will submit a plan to reach compliance. If compliance is not achieved within one year, Giant Eagle will discontinue the purchasing of such product until the supplier can demonstrate compliance.

All new products must comply with this policy in order to be considered by Giant Eagle, including third party verification of the seafood’s sustainability.

Giant Eagle will partner with SFP to identify opportunities to improve upon the sustainability of Giant Eagle products, even beyond what is required by regulatory agencies. These improvements might include harvesting methods that decrease bycatch, distribution networks that decrease food miles, improved handling to maintain the quality of product, and so on. Giant Eagle will develop incentives for suppliers who source products that utilize these voluntary measures.

All vendors are required to adhere to the company's supplier code of conduct.