{"id":85689,"date":"2026-09-02T05:28:36","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T05:28:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/85689\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T05:28:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T05:28:36","slug":"coles-and-woolworths-quietly-remove-controversial-product-from-shelves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/85689\/","title":{"rendered":"Coles and Woolworths quietly remove controversial product from shelves"},"content":{"rendered":"

Coles and Woolworths have confirmed they are no longer selling krill oil,<\/a> a product critics say is unsustainably harvested from Antarctica.<\/p>\n

The decision has been celebrated around the world by conservationists, who have long campaigned against its sale.<\/p>\n

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”.<\/p>\n

“Fishing pressure is becoming increasingly concentrated in ecological hotspots<\/a> that are critical feeding grounds for whales,” he said.<\/p>\n

Krill oil is a popular Omega-3 supplement, and more than 500,000 tonnes are extracted from Antarctica every year to meet global demand.<\/p>\n

The industry claims it can do so “sustainably”, but critics \u2014 including documentarian Sir David Attenborough<\/a> \u2014 have raised concerns about its impact on the feeding grounds of seals, whales and penguins.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

If you walk into a Woolworths or Coles you will no longer see krill oil on the shelves.<\/p>\n

(Yahoo News Australia)<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Germany’s two largest pharmacy chains committed to phasing out krill oil products, following discussions with Sea Shepherd.<\/p>\n

“Australia has one of the strongest supplement cultures in the world, with krill oil among its fastest-growing segments, historically,” Hammarstedt said.<\/p>\n

“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.”<\/p>\n

Why Chemist Warehouse was targeted in krill oil campaign<\/p>\n

Concern about krill harvesting has been growing since 2024, when a key industry regulation intended to promote sustainability lapsed.<\/p>\n

Since then, the giant trawlers that operate in the Antarctic krill fishery have reached their allowable catch limit early.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Their concern is that these krill “hotspots” are also key areas where wildlife feeds.<\/p>\n

The world’s largest harvester, Norway’s Aker BioMarine, has continued to argue the industry is sustainable.<\/p>\n

“It is actually one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world,” its CEO, Matts Johansen, told Yahoo News in November.<\/p>\n

But in Australia, campaigners from the Bob Brown Foundation have urged major retailers to stop selling krill oil.<\/a><\/p>\n

They have focused on the most prominent brands, which are made by Swisse, a supplement company owned by Hong Kong-based Health & Happiness.<\/p>\n

\"Swisse<\/p>\n

Swisse krill oil products at Chemist Warehouse have been targeted by a guerrilla campaign organised by the Bob Brown Foundation.<\/p>\n

(Supplied)<\/p>\n

Bob Brown Foundation marine campaign organiser Briony Venn has celebrated the decision by Coles and Woolworths to stop stocking krill oil.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

“Giant supertrawlers hauling krill straight from the mouths of whales, penguins and seals are damaging the very foundation of the Antarctic food web.”<\/p>\n

WWF says consumers want confidence in supermarket products<\/p>\n

WWF-Australia has also welcomed the decision by Woolworths and Coles.<\/p>\n

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”.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

“The recent listing of the Antarctic fur seal as endangered<\/a> – with krill fishing identified as a driver of its decline – should be a wake-up call. “<\/p>\n

Sea Shepherd calls on other retailers to stop selling krill oil<\/p>\n

Both Coles and Woolworths confirmed to Yahoo News that they have stopped selling krill oil.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

“We believe krill harvesting is the largest existential threat to the Antarctic ecosystem.”<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

Sea Shepherd Global’s Casson Trenor has warned krill harvesting is a threat to the Antarctic wilderness.<\/p>\n

(Joseph Leahy\/Getty)<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

Sea Shepherd began campaigning on the issue in Australia earlier in 2026.<\/p>\n

“Sea Shepherd encourages all retailers around the world to move beyond krill, it’s an unnecessary, unsustainable product,” Trenor said.<\/p>\n

“Everything the krill oil supplement does for human health we can do using more sustainable, more affordable ingredients.”<\/p>\n

Swisse has been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n