Mackerel, long one of Britain's cheapest sources of omega-3, is being withdrawn from supermarket shelves and replaced with other fish. Some of the substitutes carry far less of the nutrient that made the oily fish a low-cost health staple.
Waitrose became the first UK supermarket to suspend sourcing of North East Atlantic mackerel, announcing the move on 26 February 2026 and clearing fresh, chilled, and frozen stock by 29 April. Tinned mackerel is following once existing supplies sell through.
