Sardine Supply Crisis Affecting Supermarkets Across Germany
Recent reports have highlighted a significant shortage of sardines in major German retail chains, including Aldi Nord, Rewe, Lidl, and Kaufland. These retailers have confirmed to the German Press Agency (dpa) that they are experiencing supply issues with both private-label and brand-name sardines. Additionally, the delivery service Picnic has acknowledged that it too is feeling the impact of this shortage.
Aldi Nord has stated that certain products may intermittently be out of stock, citing "challenging conditions in fish catching" as the primary reason for the limited availability of sardines. Rewe has described the situation as a "tense raw material situation across Europe," while Lidl has pointed out that an increase in demand for sardines may lead to localized availability restrictions. The company is collaborating with suppliers to replenish stock as quickly as possible. Kaufland has also admitted to facing sporadic shortages, with the initial report on this matter coming from the publication 'Welt.'
Declining Fish Stocks and Market Implications
According to Stefan Meyer, Managing Director of the Fish Information Centre in Hamburg, the primary sardine fishery serving the European market off the coasts of Morocco and Western Sahara has been suffering from declining stocks for years. Data from the Moroccan fisheries administration illustrates a dramatic decline: landings dropped from 965,000 tons in 2022 to just 525,000 tons in 2024, marking a staggering decrease of nearly 46 percent within two years. Meyer notes that the situation has not improved over the past year, attributing the decline to climate change effects, altered marine conditions, and high fishing pressure.
In response to this crisis, Morocco's government has tightened control over fishing areas, and as of February 2026, exports of frozen sardines have been significantly restricted or suspended to prioritize the domestic market.
As for the future, experts like Meyer do not foresee a quick resolution to the sardine shortage. Instead, they predict that prices may rise rather than fall, and no reliable timelines are available for when sardines might return to previous price levels.
As reported by berliner-kurier.de.
