Britain’s biggest health food retailer Holland & Barrett has announced it will remove all krill oil products from sale in its 750 UK and Irish stores.
Krill is a small crustacean found in the Antarctic that contains high levels of Omega-3.
The quantity that can be fished for food and food supplements is regulated by the Marine Stewardship Council as krill is also important for marine wildlife as a food source.
Eight krill oil products that Holland & Barrett previously sold will be removed in the coming weeks, a decision that is in line with recommendations in a new Greenpeace Report that calls for limiting the fishing for krill in proposed Ocean Sanctuaries.
Krill oil is a source of Omega 3 and is a valuable supplement for human brain and heart health, and is particularly beneficial during pregnancy and in childhood. Holland & Barrett will replace krill oil with algal Omega 3 products to customers can continue to access this important supplement.
Peter Aldis, Holland & Barrett International’s CEO (pictured) said: “Like many of our customers, we share the concerns outlined in this important Greenpeace report published this week. Protecting the oceans is important to us, which is why we were the first retailer to offer a beauty range that was completely microplastics free before it became law, and are now removing krill oil products from sale.
“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.”
Holland & Barrett has made a series of high profile environmental commitments in recent years, including being the first high street retailer to ban single-use plastic bags before it became law nearly ten years ago in 2009.
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