Holland & Barrett announced today that it is to remove all krill oil products from sale in its UK and Irish stores.
The health food chain will be removing the eight krill oil products it offers in the coming weeks, a decision in line with the recommendations of a new Greenpeace report that calls for limits to be put on fishing for krill in proposed Ocean Sanctuaries.
“Like many of our customers, we share the concerns outlined in this important Greenpeace report published this week,” says Peter Aldis, Holland & Barrett International’s CEO, commenting on the move. “The concerns expressed by Greenpeace suggest that international regulators are not taking sufficient action to safeguard against what Greenpeace expects to be a huge increase in demand for krill from Asia. We sell the tiniest fraction of the allowable annual catch and while we are pleased to be making our contribution, we hope Greenpeace will be focusing their efforts in engaging closely with the relevant international authorities.”
This is a major boost for proposals to protect the Antarctic this year. Other retailers still selling krill products fished in Antarctic waters earmarked for protection need to take action now
The decision comes after Greenpeace called on the retailer ‘to be on the right side of Antarctic protection, and urge its suppliers to get out of waters that need protection’. Greenpeace said that Holland & Barrett previously defended its sales of krill oil as being ‘harvested from sustainable sources’, however the environmental charity countered: “With vast uncertainties over krill numbers and how climate change will affect krill populations in the Antarctic, how can it be possible to call krill fishing sustainable?”
Welcoming the move, Louisa Casson, of Greenpeace UK’s Protect the Antarctic campaign, said: “In just over 24 hours, 45,000 people emailed Holland & Barrett’s CEO asking him to stop stocking krill oil products fished in Antarctic waters that need protection. It’s welcome news that they’ve recognized the public’s strength of feeling and heeded that call.
“Holland and Barrett have previously been ahead of the curve in protecting our oceans, including tackling microplastic pollution, so it’s great to see them doing the responsible thing when it comes to safeguarding the food for whales, seals and penguins.
“This is a major boost for proposals to protect the Antarctic this year. Other retailers still selling krill products fished in Antarctic waters earmarked for protection need to take action now.”
