Major supermarket suppliers including Princes have begun substituting Atlantic mackerel with jack mackerel, a different fish species now appearing on shelves in multiple retailers. The shift has been driven by severely depleted Atlantic mackerel stocks resulting from years of overfishing and sustainability concerns. Jack mackerel costs approximately one-third as much as traditional mackerel wholesale and is more readily available from Chilean sources.
Consumer advocacy group Which? has expressed concern about the practice as an example of “skimpflation,” where manufacturers downgrade product quality while maintaining prices. Analysis indicates that jack mackerel contains roughly half the omega-3 content and about one-third the vitamin B12 of traditional mackerel. Some consumers have reported dissatisfaction with differences in taste and texture, while others have raised concerns about the clarity of product labeling indicating the species change.
Princes stated last October that it was transitioning all tinned mackerel products to jack mackerel following extensive testing, describing the alternative as having a milder flavor and meatier texture while meeting Marine Stewardship Council sustainability standards. Lidl is also selling jack mackerel under its house brand. The labeling shift was facilitated when the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs modified regulations in late 2025 to permit jack mackerel to be marketed under that name, whereas previously Carangidae species could only be labeled as “jack,” “scad,” “trevally,” or “horse mackerel.”
Atlantic mackerel stocks have declined sharply due to quota disputes among the UK, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, the Faroe Islands, the EU, and Russia. Scientific data indicates mackerel catches in the north-east Atlantic have exceeded recommended levels by an average of 39% over the past 15 years, with populations dropping roughly three-quarters over the past decade. Atlantic mackerel has lost its MSC certification due to overfishing, while Chilean jack mackerel is MSC-certified. In February, Waitrose announced the suspension of fresh and chilled mackerel sales while phasing out tinned products. The transition to jack mackerel is occurring across multiple countries, including the Netherlands and Sweden.
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