UK’s ‘Mackerel’ Tins Spark Controversy: What’s Really Inside?

Something smells fishy in the UK supermarket aisles—and no, it’s not your leftover lunch. Turns out, Princes, the brand you probably trust for your tinned mackerel fix from Lidl to Tesco, has quietly swapped true mackerel for Chilean jack mackerel. At first blush, that might not ruffle any fins, but here’s the kicker: these two fish aren’t even from the same family tree. True mackerel, what you’re used to savoring, hails from the Scombridae family, while jack mackerel comes from the Carangidae clan—a fishy family feud if there ever was one. What’s the big deal aside from the name? Nutritionally, jack mackerel serves up less omega-3 and vitamin B12, though it brings more protein and fewer calories to the table. The taste and texture? Well, some critics aren’t impressed, calling jack mackerel “quite a bad tinned fish.” So, should your palate brace for a betrayal or give this substitute a shot? And what does this swap mean for sustainability and supply chains behind the scenes? Dive into the controversy and discover what exactly’s swimming under the label. LEARN MORE

There’s something fishy going on with some of the mackerel being sold in UK supermarkets – and no, we’re not talking about the smell.

According to a recent report from The Financial Times, Princes, a company which supplies branded mackerel to supermarkets such as Lidl, Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, has switched to using Chilean jack mackerel for its tinned products.

Now this may not sound like much of a difference at first glance – until you learn that jack mackerel and true mackerel come from completely different families of fish.

True mackerel, which is the mackerel you and I are used to eating, originates from species of fish known as Scomber or Rastrelliger, which come from the Scombridae family.

Meanwhile, jack mackerel is from a species of fish known as Trachurus, which is part of the Carangidae family.

Has your mackerel tasted different recently? This might be why (Getty Stock Images)

But what does that mean, exactly – surely all fish are fish?

Well, not all fish families are the same when it comes to nutritional value, as jack mackerel is reported to contain roughly half as much omega-3 and a third as much vitamin B12 as true mackerel.

However, the nutritional value of jack mackerel isn’t all bad, as this variant boasts more protein and fewer calories per serving. This means the main difference comes down to taste.

And the initial reviews for jack mackerel don’t appear to be too positive.

In a recent review, seafood reviewer Marcus Ansell compared true mackerel to jack mackerel fillets, complaining that the latter had a ‘significantly lower quality’ and was ‘quite a bad tinned fish’.

“It’s not a substitute at all… It’s a completely different species and is nothing like mackerel in its taste, texture, or smell,” he added.

Reacting to the change of fish supply, consumer brand Which? said it was important that consumers were aware of ingredient changes to the products they were buying.

“While manufacturers face genuine supply chain pressures and sustainability challenges, they have a responsibility to shoppers to be completely upfront when they change a product’s recipe,” Sue Davies, the head of food policy at Which? told The Guardian.

“Skimpflation can feel particularly sneaky as shoppers may not realise a product has changed until they get it home and eat it.”

Overfishing of true mackerel has led to suppliers switching to jack mackerel (Getty Stock Images)

Why are suppliers switching mackerel variants?

The decision for Princes to switch suppliers is due to concerns over dwindling mackerel stocks.

Caught in the North Atlantic Ocean, mackerel is currently considered to be severely overfished, with a cut of 77 percent of catches suggested in order to allow mackerel stocks to recover from a critical threshold.

Despite warnings of a total stock collapse, mackerel catches in the North Atlantic remain at 39 percent above recommended limits.

The fish is no longer eligible for MSC certification, which means that a fishery meets sustainable standards, whereas jack mackerel is seen as a more environmentally friendly alternative.

What has Princes said about the change?

In a statement given to The Guardian, Princes stated that jack mackerel labelling was ‘clearly identified’ on their products, adding that it had been chosen as a true mackerel replacement after concerns about sustainability and consumer testing.

LADbible has approached Princes for comment.