UK Faces Sardine Shortage as Moroccan Fishing Woes Impact Pet Food Supply

"Florrie only has a few cans of sardines left. There seems to be a shortage in supermarkets," writes a Schnauzer owner on X. "Has @sainsburys stopped selling spring water sardines?" asks another. I can’t find them anywhere. My dog eats a can a day." A cat owner addresses Sainsbury’s: "Have you stopped selling canned sardines, especially canned sardines in spring water? I buy a lot (for our cats) and it’s the only reason I order deliveries from Sainsbury’s (there’s no store near us) because I can’t get them anywhere else."

The sardine shortage in supermarkets is real. "I’m a prolific buyer of canned sardines in tomato sauce (only because my 2 dogs share a can to eat with their kibble every evening). But recently, they’ve become very hard to find and there are empty shelves in several supermarkets in my area (York / North Yorkshire)," worries another owner.

"Does anyone know why and if the apparent supply problems are likely to persist?" he questions. At the root of this shortage are overfishing and poor fishing conditions off the coast of Morocco, from where about 60% of the UK’s sardine supply comes. "The supply of canned sardines has been affected by fishing conditions in Morocco," confirms the British Retail Consortium, assuring that retailers are experts in supply management and will do everything possible to minimize the impact on consumers.