IN Brief:
- Waitrose will suspend North East Atlantic mackerel sourcing by 29 April 2026.
- The retailer links the decision to quota-setting that does not meet ICES advice.
- Alternative smoked and frozen fish lines are scheduled from April and May.
Waitrose has confirmed it will suspend sourcing of North East Atlantic mackerel, with fresh, chilled, and frozen products set to be removed from sale by 29 April 2026, and tinned mackerel following once current stock has sold through.
The retailer tied the decision to scientific advice and quota outcomes for the stock. In September 2025, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) recommended that North East Atlantic mackerel catches should be cut by 70% to help rebuild the stock to a sustainable level. In December, four Coastal States agreed to cut mackerel catches by 48%, which Waitrose said does not meet the ICES advice. Waitrose added that from May 2026, North East Atlantic mackerel will no longer meet its responsible sourcing requirements in line with the Sustainable Seafood Coalition’s codes of conduct, and said all of its North East Atlantic mackerel is sourced from Scottish waters.
Waitrose outlined replacement activity across smoked and frozen formats, with new lines scheduled from April, and frozen sardines due in May. The retailer listed product and certification status for the alternatives, including MSC-certified herring lines, an ASC-certified smoked seabass product, RSPCA-assured trout, and MSC-certified frozen sardine fillets.
Jake Pickering, Head of Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fisheries at Waitrose, said: “By suspending sourcing of mackerel at Waitrose we are reinforcing our ethical and sustainable business commitments, acting to tackle overfishing and protect the long-term health of our oceans and this crucial fish. Our customers trust us to source responsibly, and we are closely monitoring the fishery. We look forward to bringing mackerel back to our shelves once it meets our high sourcing standards.”
The decision lands against a broader backdrop of scrutiny of North East Atlantic mackerel management. The Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide update in 2025 moved North East Atlantic mackerel caught by midwater trawl from a 3 to a 4 rating, recommending that businesses do not source it, reflecting concerns about the long-term sustainability of the stock under current catch-sharing arrangements.
Waitrose said there is no predetermined timeframe for resuming sourcing, and that it will maintain supplier relationships while switching volumes to the alternative species through current supplier partnerships. It also set out plans in tinned seafood, including an ambition to sell 100% MSC-certified tinned sardines across seven products, with updated labelling phased in from February.
