Coles and Woolworths have confirmed they are no longer selling krill oil, a product critics say is unsustainably harvested from Antarctica.
The decision has been celebrated around the world by conservationists, who have long campaigned against its sale.
Sea Shepherd Global’s head of campaigns, Captain Peter Hammarstedt, told Yahoo News the destocking of krill oil by the two supermarkets comes at a “critical time”.
“Fishing pressure is becoming increasingly concentrated in ecological hotspots that are critical feeding grounds for whales,” he said.
Krill oil is a popular Omega-3 supplement, and more than 500,000 tonnes are extracted from Antarctica every year to meet global demand.
The industry claims it can do so “sustainably”, but critics — including documentarian Sir David Attenborough — have raised concerns about its impact on the feeding grounds of seals, whales and penguins.
If you walk into a Woolworths or Coles you will no longer see krill oil on the shelves.
(Yahoo News Australia)
Earlier this year, Germany’s two largest pharmacy chains committed to phasing out krill oil products, following discussions with Sea Shepherd.
“Australia has one of the strongest supplement cultures in the world, with krill oil among its fastest-growing segments, historically,” Hammarstedt said.
“However, Coles’ and Woolworths’ confirmation that it is no longer selling krill-derived products points to a shift in market forces that we have already begun to see in the United Kingdom and Germany.”
Why Chemist Warehouse was targeted in krill oil campaign
Concern about krill harvesting has been growing since 2024, when a key industry regulation intended to promote sustainability lapsed.
Since then, the giant trawlers that operate in the Antarctic krill fishery have reached their allowable catch limit early.
Conservationists argue this is because they’re concentrating their efforts where krill is most abundant rather than the wide area they previously committed to harvest from.
Their concern is that these krill “hotspots” are also key areas where wildlife feeds.
The world’s largest harvester, Norway’s Aker BioMarine, has continued to argue the industry is sustainable.
“It is actually one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world,” its CEO, Matts Johansen, told Yahoo News in November.
But in Australia, campaigners from the Bob Brown Foundation have urged major retailers to stop selling krill oil.
They have focused on the most prominent brands, which are made by Swisse, a supplement company owned by Hong Kong-based Health & Happiness.
Swisse krill oil products at Chemist Warehouse have been targeted by a guerrilla campaign organised by the Bob Brown Foundation.
(Supplied)
Bob Brown Foundation marine campaign organiser Briony Venn has celebrated the decision by Coles and Woolworths to stop stocking krill oil.
“With retailers of this size making this move, it’s a sign to brands like Swisse that supporting the destruction of the Antarctic ecosystem is losing momentum, and sustainable options should take centre stage,” she said.
“Giant supertrawlers hauling krill straight from the mouths of whales, penguins and seals are damaging the very foundation of the Antarctic food web.”
WWF says consumers want confidence in supermarket products
WWF-Australia has also welcomed the decision by Woolworths and Coles.
Its Ocean Conservation Manager, Emily Grilly, said Australian consumers “want confidence” that the products on supermarket shelves aren’t “coming at the cost of ecosystem degradation”.
“Krill are the foundation of the Antarctic food web, yet they continue to be targeted by an industrial fishery that is under-regulated, unsustainable, and unwilling to change course despite clear evidence of impacts on wildlife,” she said.
“The recent listing of the Antarctic fur seal as endangered – with krill fishing identified as a driver of its decline – should be a wake-up call. “
Sea Shepherd calls on other retailers to stop selling krill oil
Both Coles and Woolworths confirmed to Yahoo News that they have stopped selling krill oil.
Sea Shepherd Global’s Krill Markets Campaigner, Casson Trenor, said he is seeking confirmation from both companies about why the decision was made and whether it was driven by sustainability concerns.
“I hope they did it for the right reasons, but as long as they don’t bring it back, it’ll do the job,” he told Yahoo News.
“We believe krill harvesting is the largest existential threat to the Antarctic ecosystem.”
Sea Shepherd Global’s Casson Trenor has warned krill harvesting is a threat to the Antarctic wilderness.
(Joseph Leahy/Getty)
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Sea Shepherd began campaigning on the issue in Australia earlier in 2026.
“Sea Shepherd encourages all retailers around the world to move beyond krill, it’s an unnecessary, unsustainable product,” Trenor said.
“Everything the krill oil supplement does for human health we can do using more sustainable, more affordable ingredients.”
Swisse has been contacted for comment.
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