Citing Netflix film ‘Seaspiracy,’ Hong Kong zero-waste chain vows to stop selling fish

Slowood, a sustainable lifestyle store, announced on Facebook that it will stop selling fish. Photos: Facebook/Slowood and Netflix
Slowood, a sustainable lifestyle store, announced on Facebook that it will stop selling fish. Photos: Facebook/Slowood and Netflix

A zero-waste grocery chain in Hong Kong declared that it will stop stocking fish products in its stores, citing “Seaspiracy”—a recently released Netflix documentary about the environmental impact of fishing—for its decision.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, Slowood wrote that the film had “opened [their] eyes” to the threat that fishing poses on the marine ecosystem.

“Slowood will take a step forward and STOP SELLING FISH,” it said, adding that a portion of profits made from existing stock will be donated to Sea Shepherd, a global marine conservation organization.

According to its website, Slowood stocks fish products including tuna pate, mackerel pate and canned sardines. It has also published a number of recipes for meals with fish, including a seafood pasta and a coriander chilli-glazed salmon.

The chain, with outlets in Kennedy Town, Sha Tin and Discovery Bay, sells healthy food and household products with an emphasis on reducing environmental waste. Groceries including spices, pasta, nuts and cereal are sold in bulk by weight, replicating zero-waste concepts that have been popularized in western countries in recent years.

In a Facebook group called Vegans Hong Kong, many praised the store’s move.

“Well done team Slowood!” One person commented, adding the hashtag “#CHANGE.”

“Seaspiracy,” a 90-minute film directed by British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi, has shot to the top of the Netflix charts since it was released last week, becoming one of the most watched documentaries on the streaming site globally.

Many have called the film a thought-provoking, disturbing look at the destructive consequences of commercial fisheries on fragile marine life.

But its dismissal of sustainable fishing as eco-friendly and protective of aquatic environments has led to backlash from NGOs and sustainability experts, who have accused the film of making “misleading claims” and even being “vegan propaganda.”



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