WWF-SASSI RETAILER/SUPPLIER PARTICIPATION SCHEME REPORT 2024

The 2024 WWF-SASSI report highlights the progress of South African seafood retailers in meeting sustainability commitments, noting that while some achieve high compliance (e.g., Woolworths at 93% by species), others lag. It identifies a growing consumer market, with seafood consumption rising to 16.7 million people by 2025, and emphasizes the necessity of a collective industry approach and Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) to secure marine ecosystems.

• Retailer sustainability performance varies significantly by participant; for 2024, Woolworths reported the highest species-based compliance at 93%, while Shoprite Holdings Group reported the lowest at 19%.
• Seafood consumption in South Africa is increasing rapidly, growing from 13.9 million people in 2022 to 16.7 million in 2025, with the national market valued at R57.7bn ($3.13bn) in 2024.
• Consumer awareness of seafood sustainability is rising, with 65% of consumers actively seeking sustainable options in 2025, up from 59% in 2022. However, 83% of consumers believe the primary responsibility for ensuring ocean-friendly seafood lies with the retailers.
• The seafood market faces systemic pressures, including the influx of unrated Russian species (such as pollock and sardine) resulting from EU sanctions on Russia following the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
• Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) are used as roadmaps to transition fisheries to sustainable models; successful outcomes include the MSC certification of the South African hake trawl and the tuna pole-and-line fishery in August 2024.
• WWF-SASSI is implementing a three-phase strategic plan to transform the market by 2025, moving from individual brand standards to improved traceability and the eventual establishment of a formalised collective structure for co-investing in fisheries improvements.

APA

Oliver, A., Madell, K., Farber, T., Pillay, P., Maharaj, K., & Northam-Ras, S. (2025). WWF-SASSI RETAILER/SUPPLIER PARTICIPATION SCHEME REPORT 2024. WWF South Africa. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-sassi-participants-report-2024.pdf

Chicago

Oliver, Arné, Kezia Madell, Tanya Farber, Pavitray Pillay, Kirtanya Maharaj, and Sue Northam-Ras. WWF-SASSI RETAILER/SUPPLIER PARTICIPATION SCHEME REPORT 2024. WWF South Africa, 2025. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-sassi-participants-report-2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Oliver |first1=Arné |last2=Madell |first2=Kezia |last3=Farber |first3=Tanya |last4=Pillay |first4=Pavitray |last5=Maharaj |first5=Kirtanya |last6=Northam-Ras |first6=Sue |title=WWF-SASSI RETAILER/SUPPLIER PARTICIPATION SCHEME REPORT 2024 |publisher=WWF South Africa |date=2025 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-sassi-participants-report-2024.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{oliver2025wwfsassi, author = {Oliver, Arné and Madell, Kezia and Farber, Tanya and Pillay, Pavitray and Maharaj, Kirtanya and Northam-Ras, Sue}, title = {{WWF-SASSI RETAILER/SUPPLIER PARTICIPATION SCHEME REPORT 2024}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2025}, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwf-sassi-participants-report-2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }