Grocery Store Pledges to Stop Selling Fish After Watching Seaspiracy

Zero-waste Hong Kong grocery store Slowood decided to take its dedication to sustainability to the next level. Inspired by the new Netflix documentary Seaspiracy, which is centered around the fishing industry, the grocer announced that it would no longer be selling fish. The Netflix documentary fixates on the fishing industry’s direct environmental impact, showcasing the damages to the planet.

“Netflix’s new documentary @Seaspiracy has opened our eyes to the overwhelming and damaging effects the fishing industry has on our whole ecosystem. I bet you will stop eating fish after watching this movie,” the grocery store wrote on its Facebook. “Slowood will take a step forward and STOP SELLING FISH. In the meantime, while stock lasts, we will donate a portion of profits to @Seashepherd.”

The Seaspiracy documentary aims to expose the terrible practices that keep the fish industry alive. Often consumers are not clued into the damaging processes that bring food to the shelves. Slowood, affected by the documentary, hopes that cutting fish from its market will encourage others to watch the documentary and understand the dangers coming from the fish market. The grocery store is donating a portion of the money that it receives from its remaining stockpile to the non-profit marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which is best known for direct activism regarding marine life and environments.

“At Slowood, we believe every tiny step counts and hope to joins our community to make the world a better place. Stop crying over the planet, let’s take this step forward to ocean conservation together!” the company continued.

Seaspiracy has received a number of polarizing reviews: The documentary saw acclaim for its in-depth exposé of the industry but also received pushback from media outlets saying the documentary skewed much of the fishing industry. Regardless, the documentary ignited a conversation about the dangers of ocean pollution and the number of sea animals impacted in fishing processes. The documentary begs for us to shift our perspective of how we think about the ocean and the creatures that call it home.

Slowood’s decision to remove fish products from its shelves coincides with a growing interest in plant-based seafood. Multiple companies include Tyson Foods and Trader Joe’s have begun to develop sustainable seafood alternatives. With consumers realizing the detrimental consequences associated with the fishing industry, plant-based seafood products will continue to see rising popularity, and more grocery stores may decide to mirror Slowood’s marketing decision and take fish off of the shelves.