I’m writing to you in light of our latest investigation, which concerns abuses in the Chinese squid fishing industry, and a link we’ve discovered between companies engaged in abuses and your supply chain.
We understand that Vassiliou Trofinko S.A. packages Lidl’s own brand of squid under its Eridanous range. Our investigation has found that your supplier, Zhoushan Xifeng Aquatic Co. Ltd., is in turn supplied by at least three companies whose vessels have a history of fishing offenses, including lengthy transmission gaps, illegal fishing and shark finning. For example, one of these vessels had…
We aknowledge with thanks, your below mail of Friday 10/03/2023.
We have studied carefully all its contentents and kindly note:
A. Suppliers of VTF are checked examined and valued with strict criteria as per: a. EU rules and regulations b. HACCP plan c. Various official Certifications : IFS – MSC – ASC – ECOVADIS etc. B. They (Suppliers) are obliged to sign the BSCI Code of Conduct – as attached C. Moreover, please find attached: a. Declaration Form of the below mentioned supplier b. Approved Fishing Certificates from the relevant Authorities and finaly c. The Global Quality and Certificatio…
Thank you very much for your response to our email, we really appreciate your engagement on this issue and your transparency with us on your supplier agreements.
Industry analysts and experts have, however, told us that traceability from China is highly unreliable, despite various certification programs depended on by buyers and importers. This is largely due to gaps in record-keeping as product passes from point of catch to point of export, with documentation often filled in retrospectively to meet buyer requirements without effective oversight to verify compliance.
We have visual evidence…
Thank you for your kind reply 14/03/23 to our mail also 14/03/23 and following your initial mail 10/03/23. As already mentioned in our previous communication, kindly note: Our company, which operates the past 50+ years, adheres to all the rules and regulations of the EU, Without any compromise and Without any deviation or “discount” With regular controls and legal documentation and certification, that we have already supplied to you, it ensures the same applies to all its worldwide suppliers. All the above, are applied and followed 100%, on every shipment and controlled by the Greek and EU Aut…
Thank you again for your patience and engaging with us on this matter. We note that, in your responses, you have not explicitly denied or challenged the fact that your Chinese supplier is processing squid from the aforementioned fishing companies. Do you accept that it is the case that Zhoushan Xifeng processes squid from fishing companies with ties to IUU issues? Will you be seeking an alternative supplier as a result?
Thank you for your new mail, in reply to ours. As per our below 2 mails and respective attachments, we have entirely covered, all your queries. Fortunately, we do not work with “feelings” and “estimates”, but only with documented facts, which we have explained to you and sent also relevant documentation. We have nothing else to add.