Who is this guide for?

Festival-goers who want a verifiable MSC label

You want to choose tinned mackerel bearing the MSC label, rather than relying on a brand’s reputation or an old recipe. Check the specific product on the tin before you set off.

Campers without a kitchen or cool box

You’re looking for a tin you can open at mealtime and eat cold, without needing to store leftovers. The drained weight and instructions for after opening matter just as much as the recipe.

Shoppers who check the ingredients

You compare the ingredients, allergens and salt content of plain or sauced recipes. The label can help you tell a mustard recipe from one in its own juices.

What should you check?

What to check Look for Who is this for?
MSC label Look for the MSC logo or wording on the specific tin, and make sure it matches the recipe you’re considering. I want to confirm the MSC label before packing the tin; around 36% of consumers put this certification first.
No-cook meals Compare the drained weight with how much you’ll eat, and read the instructions for after opening. Without a cool box, I’d rather finish the tin with my meal than keep leftovers in my tent. Convenience comes first for around 29% of consumers.
Ingredients Read the ingredients, highlighted allergens and salt content per 100 g. A sauce may contain ingredients I need to avoid or want to compare; around 21% of consumers put ingredients first.
Portion and recipe Choose between a plain recipe and one in sauce, then check the amount of fish listed. I’m looking for a suitable portion and a recipe I’ll enjoy eating cold; for around 14% of consumers, this is the main deciding factor.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing organic, brand traceability and the MSC label

    These terms don’t mean the same thing. According to the Marine Stewardship Council, its blue label applies to products from a certified fishery and covered by its chain of custody.

    If MSC certification is important to you, check that it appears on the specific tin of mackerel you plan to buy.

  • Planning to keep leftovers without a way to chill them

    An unopened tin and its contents after opening need to be stored differently. Product information for Connétable and Saupiquet mackerel says to refrigerate the product once opened and eat it within two days.

    If you don’t have a suitable cool box, choose an amount you can finish with your meal and open the tin when you’re ready to eat.

    A tin that’s too large could leave you with uneaten food.

  • Choosing a sauce without reading the label

    Ingredients and salt levels vary between recipes. Carrefour Extra’s product information for its mackerel fillets in wholegrain mustard sauce lists fish and mustard, among other ingredients.

    Check the allergens and compare nutritional values on the same basis, particularly salt per 100 g, before choosing your portion.

  • Relying on outdated product information

    A recipe mentioned on a brand’s website or in an old store listing doesn’t guarantee that the same tin will be available when you shop.

    Before setting off, check the product available in your shop and make sure the tin you actually choose carries the MSC label.

Mackerel brands to look at

Petit Navire

The brand offers several mackerel recipes. One of its recipes refers to “MSC Plain Grilled Mackerel Fillets”.

  • This gives you a specific product to look for if you want a plain recipe bearing the MSC label.
  • The recipe alone doesn’t confirm that the same tin will be available when you shop; check the product reference and its label.

Saupiquet

Saupiquet offers mackerel in its own juices and in a range of sauces.

  • For one range made with organic ingredients, the brand describes its traceability system as ISO 22005 certified.
  • Neither this traceability system nor the organic claim means the whole range is MSC-certified: check the label on the tin you choose.

Carrefour Extra

One product with published information is its tin of mackerel fillets in wholegrain mustard sauce.

  • Its product information lets you check the ingredients and compare this recipe with mackerel in its own juices.
  • Only choose this product as an MSC option if the specific tin actually carries the label.

Connétable

Auchan’s listing for “MSC Label Rouge Mackerel Fillets in Their Own Juices” identifies a product whose name includes MSC.

  • The listed pack contains 106 g drained net weight, which you can compare with the amount you want for your meal.
  • Check the tin available in your shop and follow the storage instructions on its label once opened.

Joybuy products

Related products will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Are all a brand’s mackerel products MSC-certified if one of its tins carries the label?

No. Check the label on the specific product. According to the Marine Stewardship Council, the blue label applies to products covered by its certification and chain of custody; it doesn’t automatically apply to a brand’s other recipes.

What should you compare on the labels of two tins of mackerel?

Compare the product name, quantity and, where shown, drained weight, followed by the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information per 100 g. Also check the date and storage instructions on each tin; the DGCCRF highlights the importance of clear labelling on pre-packed foods.

Can you keep an opened tin of mackerel in a tent?

Don’t plan to keep an opened tin in your tent for another meal: product information for Connétable and Saupiquet mackerel says to refrigerate it after opening. If you can’t keep leftovers chilled, choose a portion you can finish with the same meal.