With the increasing role of supermarkets in the distribution of canned tuna and the demand for product differentiation through eco-labelling, tuna processors in Spain are trying to obtain such labelling. There are already twenty six companies that produce products with eco-label certificates in Spain. There is also a major demand in the Spanish market towards product certification and quality management system certification through food safety standards. Achieving certification is likely to strengthen best practices and contribute to control or reduction of FLW.

It is clear that this value added domestication attempt is a complex process that presents challenges not only technical, commercial and financial, but will also require an arrangement with the key distributors of canned sardines in the European market. Integrating distributors is a key imperative for product promotion on the European market and for capturing a portion of value addition created in this area. End markets buyers are a powerful relay and an incentive for change. They also represent an important source of information on demand and can convey learning. In some cases, they are willing to invest in businesses downstream of the value chain.