Coles supermarkets no longer label own brand Tasmanian Salmon as “Responsibly Sourced”

Shareholder campaign pressure on Coles has resulted in long-awaited labelling action, while shareholders withdraw one of three resolutions ahead of this year's AGM. Coles now identifies the Maugean Skate at risk from impacts of salmon farming after pressure from Shareholder activism.

Last year's AGM saw a whopping 39% shareholder vote in support of a resolution lodged by the SIX coalition, including partners NOFF and Environment Tasmania.

One of our three resolutions called on Coles to identify and record in its 2026 Sustainability Report the impacts of farmed seafood —sold under its 'Own Brand'—on endangered species (listed under the EPBC Act).

Shareholders demonstrated concern over the fate of the Maugean Skate in Tasmania's remote Macquarie Harbour, and achieved the world's highest- ever result for a nature-related shareholder resolution put to a retailer.

Both Coles and Woolworths were targeted by the ongoing shareholder activism campaign, run by investor platform SIX, and joined by NOFF, Environment Tasmania, and Living Oceans.

In response, Coles has:

• Undertaken an assessment of the threats of industrial aquaculture on endangered species
• Reviewed the EPBC threatened fauna list
• Publicly disclosed the results, naming impacted species
• Identified the risk Tasmanian farmed salmon poses to the Maugean Skate

Notably they have removed 'responsibly sourced' labels from their Tasmanian salmon, and continued to engage with SIX and our campaign partners.

"The decision to withdraw one of our three resolutions is an act of good faith that the company will continue to do their due diligence. That they no longer label any Tasmanian farmed salmon as 'responsibly sourced' should signal to consumers that there is a major problem with industrially-farmed salmon. There is absolutely nothing responsible about causing the extinction of a species. We applaud Coles for publicly recognising this" said Lisa Litjens, Vice President, Neighbours of Fish Farming.

"We, and over 70 per cent of Tasmanians, expect a greater commitment to sustainability than this. But we acknowledge it's a step in the right direction: product labelling plays an important role in consumer awareness. We will be holding Coles to their (published) commitment to transition away from sourcing farmed salmon from Macquarie Harbour at the upcoming AGM."

• All comments attributed to Lisa Litjens, Vice President, Neighbours of Fish Farming, 0400 461 624, litjenslisa@gmail.com