Ramirez
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 5 sources
Portuguese family cannery in Matosinhos making canned tuna and sardines.
Until Ramirez traces its fish and seafood to the boat or farm and has the conditions of the people who catch or farm it checked independently, it can't show that they are free and fairly paid.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 3 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It relies on fish and seafood that it can't trace to the boat or farm. That alone means a poor grade until it takes steps to trace it and check the conditions of the people who catch or farm it.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- 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 3 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Not met: Traces its catch to the boat or farm and has crews' or farm workers' conditions checked independently
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Relies on fish and seafood it can't trace to the boat or farm
- Red flag: Fails its category's raw-material check (means Lacks transparency)
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Ramirez's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Strong protections | Close to 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.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Relies on fish and seafood from fishing boats and farms, where crews and farm workers, often migrants recruited into debt, have been held for months or years, beaten and denied pay, out of reach of factory audits. It hasn't shown any steps to trace its fish and seafood to the boat or farm or have the conditions of the people who catch or farm it checked, so it's graded Lacks transparency until it does.
Research notes Ramirez, founded in 1853 and still run by the Ramirez family, makes all its canned fish at one plant it built in Lavra, Matosinhos, in 2013 after closing its other factories, and sells under 14 brands in about 50 countries. Its tuna, about 2,500 tonnes a year, arrives from around the world, but it does not say from where or from which boats, publishes no supplier or vessel list, and reports no checks of crews. In 2024 its MSC certification for Portuguese sardines was still awaiting approval.
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- In December 2021 the food workers' union SINTAB said a COVID-19 outbreak at the Ramirez factory in Matosinhos infected more than 30 of about 200 workers and that the company took no containment measures; Ramirez said there were 11 cases and that it never lowered its guard (Observador, 2021). Source
Sources and actions
Sources 5
Show all 5 sources
- Marcas com Marca: Ramirez, a mais antiga conserveira de peixe ainda em laboração (Marketeer) · search the archive · Production consolidated in one new factory in Lavra, Matosinhos, built in 2013; other factories closed; tuna about 2,500 t a year from around the world; sold in about 50 countries
- Sardinha 'alimenta' vendas da Ramirez (ECO, 2024) · search the archive · 220 workers; EUR 35 million revenue in 2023; Matosinhos unit; 14 brands in 50 countries; MSC sardine label in final approval stage
- RAMIREZ brand (Conservas de Portugal) · search the archive · Ramirez sardines packed by Ramirez & Ca (Filhos) Lda in Matosinhos
- Fábrica Ramirez enfrenta surto de Covid-19 (Observador, 2021) · search the archive · Union SINTAB reported over 30 COVID cases among about 200 workers and no containment; company said 11 cases and tested 220 employees
- Conservas com recorde de exportações à vista (Portugal Global, 2025) · search the archive · Ramirez founded in 1853 in Vila Real de Santo António, now based in Matosinhos
Company details
- Headquarters
- Portugal
- Employees
- About 220
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Ramirez ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/ramirez, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Ramirez.