Mareblu
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 9 sources
Italian canned tuna brand owned by Thai Union through MW Brands.
Mareblu's supply chain was linked to forced labour in 2015, which it has only partly acted on, and we couldn't confirm where it makes most of its canned tuna.
Also worth knowing
Most fish and seafood are processed in countries such as Thailand and China, where pay is usually below a living wage and unions are heavily restricted.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 0 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 3 red flags: no evidence of a living wage, a hidden, unaudited supply chain, probably in high-risk countries and forced or child labour. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record: the most serious problem on its record (forced labour link, last recorded in 2015) was a link through a supplier, which the company has only partly acted on.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 0 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsWhere fish and seafood are usually processed, such as Thailand and China, unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Not met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
- Not met: Traces its catch to the boat or farm and has crews' or farm workers' conditions checked independently
Red flags 3
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, probably mostly in countries with poor worker rights
- Red flag: Forced, slave or child labour found in or linked to its supply chain
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
We couldn't confirm where Mareblu makes most of its products, so this shows where fish and seafood are usually processed.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Australia | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
| Ecuador | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Norway | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: fishing fleets and processing plants have some of the worst documented forced labour, including trafficked crews held at sea for years.
- Makes part of its range in its own factories
- Traces most of its fish and seafood to named fishing boats or farms
- It traces some of its catch or holds environmental labels such as MSC, ASC or BAP, but doesn't show both that its catch is traced to the boat or farm and that crews' or farm workers' conditions are checked independently.
Research notes Mareblu tuna recalled in 2024 was canned by Indian Ocean Tuna in Victoria, Seychelles (a territory not on the country list), a cannery 60% owned by MW Brands whose workforce is 60% migrant, from India, Kenya, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Thailand. Cans show the catch area, plant and vessel and can be traced online. Thai Union says all its tuna is traced to a vessel or group of vessels, 79.5% comes from MSC-certified fisheries and 99% of volume is covered by fisher welfare, vessel code or improvement programmes (group evidence), but it names no Mareblu vessels and reports no independent crew checks for them.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| KnowTheChain | Not covered | Thai Union is not among the companies assessed in the 2026 KnowTheChain food and beverage benchmark. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Problem found | The Resource Centre carries the 2015 Reuters report on Thai Union's response to the AP shrimp forced labour investigation. View |
Confirmed issues 1
Only confirmed problems are listed, and old ones drop off after 10 to 15 years. A problem the company has fully put right no longer counts against it, and nor does one it finds and is fixing itself. How problems are counted
| Last recorded | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Link through a supplierA 2015 Greenpeace Italy report on Mareblu's owner Thai Union said crews, many from Myanmar, were held for years and beaten on Thai vessels off Ambon, Indonesia, whose catch reached Thai Union Manufacturing via Niwat Co.; Mareblu cans were not shown to be affected (Greenpeace, 2015). Source · archived copy | PartlyThai Union dropped the supplier Niwat Co. after the AP investigation, but had not announced an end to dealings with the reefer vessel or its owner. |
Sources and actions
Sources 9
Show all 9 sources
- Quella sporca filiera (Greenpeace Italia, Nov 2015) · archived copy · Mareblu owned by Thai Union; forced labour and beatings on Thai vessels off Ambon supplying Thai Union Manufacturing via Niwat Co.; Thai Union dropped Niwat
- Thai Union calls shrimp slavery report 'another wakeup call' (BHRRC, 2015) · archived copy · AP found forced and child labour in Thai shrimp plants; Thai Union cut a supplier and said it would stop using external processors
- 2026 KnowTheChain Food and Beverage Benchmark (BHRRC) · search the archive · List of companies assessed in 2026; Thai Union not included
- MW Brands to provide Seychelles homes for foreign tuna workers (The Grocer) · search the archive · MW Brands owns 60% of Indian Ocean Tuna; 60% of its Seychelles workforce are foreign workers from India, Kenya, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand
- Tonno Mareblu richiamato per possibile presenza di istamina (Il Fatto Alimentare, Jan 2024) · search the archive · Recalled Mareblu tuna produced by Indian Ocean Tuna Ltd at Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles, for Mareblu Srl; brand sold on the Italian market
- Tonno Mareblu: etichetta con specie e zone di pesca (Il Fatto Alimentare, 2011) · search the archive · Mareblu cans show species, catch area, plant, lot and fishing vessel; tuna processed in the Seychelles; owned by MW Brands
- Tonno sostenibile e certificazioni (Il Fatto Alimentare, 2017) · search the archive · Mareblu owned by Thai Union; label lists catch area, method and processing site; each can traceable online by its code
Published by Mareblu or its owner
- Thai Union marks 10 years of leadership in tuna sustainability (Thai Union, June 2026) · search the archive · 100% of sourced tuna traceable to vessel; 99% of volume covered by Fisher Work & Welfare, vessel code audits or improvement plans (group)
- Thai Union Sustainability Report 2025 · search the archive · 79.51% of tuna volume MSC certified, 16.71% in assessment; every tuna lot traceable to originating vessel or group of vessels; over 40,000 employees
Company details
- Owned by
- Thai Union Group (via MW Brands)
- Headquarters
- Italy
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Mareblu ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/mareblu, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Other canned and pouched fish brands
Nothing we've rated in canned and pouched fish is better than Lacks transparency yet.
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Mareblu.