Waitrose suspends mackerel sales amid overfishing concerns

Waitrose will stop selling mackerel sourced from Scottish waters from May 2026, saying the fish no longer meets its responsible sourcing standards; it will replace those products with Marine Stewardship Council-certified alternatives.

Waitrose will stop selling mackerel sourced from Scottish waters from May 2026. The supermarket says the fish no longer meets its responsible sourcing standards. The decision follows scientific advice and international talks about cutting mackerel catches. Waitrose plans to replace its mackerel products with Marine Stewardship Council-certified alternatives. Key facts: - Waitrose will suspend sourcing of North East Atlantic mackerel from May 2026. - All Waitrose mackerel is sourced from Scottish waters. - The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommended a 70% cut in catches in September to help the stock reproduce. - In December the UK, Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland agreed to cut mackerel catches by 48%, a reduction Waitrose said was not enough. - Waitrose says it will only resume selling the fish once it meets the company's high sourcing standards and has replaced current mackerel products with MSC-certified alternatives. Summary: Waitrose's suspension removes mackerel products from its shelves and replaces them with Marine Stewardship Council-certified alternatives. The move comes after scientific advice and an international agreement on catch reductions, which Waitrose said did not go far enough. Waitrose says it will resume sales only when the fish meets its high sourcing standards.