Treating animals and the environment with respect

Basic ecological and social requirements apply throughout the entire Migros Group. Customers can therefore rest assured that everything they buy from Migros has been produced with respect for people, animals and the environment. Furthermore, the range of sustainable products with particular ecological or social added value is being enhanced continuously. Last year, this included fish, coffee and cocoa in particular. The total sales of the sustainable labels such as Bio, Terrasuisse, Max Havelaar and MSC increased by 14% to a total of CHF 2.6 billion in comparison to the previous year. The sustainable range therefore makes up 18% of the total sales of Cooperative Retailing.

More label products

Migros's range of socially and ecologically outstanding label products, which is already very extensive, is being continuously expanded. In 2012 around 50 new products were added to the organic range, the sales of which increased by 9% in comparison to the previous year. Migros is also extending its product range in the area of bread: its bakeries processed a total of 690 tonnes of organic grain (from operations in conversion) into bread. The aim is for the vast majority of bread to conform to the Bio or TerraSuisse label in the future.

Excellent progress is being made with regard to UTZ Certified. The own brand Tea Time now also carries this label for responsible production. Since the start of 2012, Migros has been using only UTZ certified cocoa in the production of Frey chocolate and chocolate bars. By spring 2013, Migros' entire chocolate range will be following this route. Migros also stocks various organic and Fairtrade Max Havelaar chocolates. In 2012 Migros expanded its range of Fairtrade products and introduced 26 new Max Havelaar products.

Charts on total sales, sustainable labels and sales per label

Fish range extended

Fish and seafood are very popular forms of food at present, but many fish stocks are overfished or at maximum capacity. To promote sustainable consumption, Migros has been a member of the WWF Seafood Group since 2008. In cooperation with the specialists of the environmental organisation, Migros removes endangered fish species from its range and replaces them with sustainable alternatives. For example, in 2012 it decided to change the own brand's entire tinned range to tuna fish caught by pole and line. Last year, the company became the first retailer to introduce the ASC label on the Swiss market. The label stands for socially and ecologically acceptable aqua cultures. Tilapia fillets have been available since 2012, along with other certified fish species such as pangasius. In addition, Migros increased its range of wild MSC fish. Under the Bio label, it also sells fish and seafood from especially natural and sustainable breeding.

Sales of organic products grew by 30% in 2012, making the Bio label the strongest growing label in the fish range. The proportion of organic fish to farmed fish is 10%, and the share of MSC fish in the wild fish range is 45%. In 2012 Migros set the objective of procuring its entire fish range from sustainable sources by the end of 2020; the proportion currently lies at 93%.

Tighter meat regulations

Almost all meat offered by Migros conforms to Switzerland's strict animal welfare provisions. In order to improve the standard of imported meat as well, the company is implementing Swiss animal welfare provisions for imported turkey meat, as it did for rabbit meat. Alongside the high standard in the basic range, the company stocks a growing range of particularly animal-friendly labels, such as Bio, Weide-Beef, Bio-Weidebeef and TerraSuisse.

In the year under review, TerraSuisse meat (not including cold meats) made up 34% of sales; the share of organic meat was just under 2% with growth of 6% in comparison to the previous year. Migros tightened various guidelines in 2012. For example, Bio-Weidebeef and Weide-Beef have forbidden the use of soya as replacement feed since the start of 2013. The same applies for dairy cows that produce milk for TerraSuisse pasture milk. As part of a research collaboration with IP-Suisse and the University of Bern's Vetsuisse Faculty, Migros is continuously improving the health and welfare of ruminants in the label production of meat and milk. In 2012 the use of certain active substances that are classified as critical by the Federal Veterinary Office was restricted in TerraSuisse calf fattening. The TerraSuisse label is therefore the first programme to restrict the use of antibiotics. TerraSuisse veal makes up 83% of Migros veal. Furthermore, the Migros restaurants and take-aways only use meat from Switzerland (with the exception of wild fowl, horse, lamb and some poultry).