Waitrose is set to remove mackerel from its shelves amid escalating concerns over unsustainable fishing practices.

The retailer said that it is the first major UK supermarket to suspend sourcing of the popular fish.

It said that fresh, chilled, and frozen mackerel, primarily sourced from Scottish waters, will be unavailable to shoppers by 29 April. Tinned varieties will follow once the current stock is depleted.

Conservationists are welcoming the move and urging other supermarkets to follow suit.

The measure comes as governments have repeatedly failed to implement catch limits recommended by scientists, jeopardising the long-term viability of mackerel stocks.

The International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has issued stark warnings, advising a 70 per cent reduction in catches for 2026 across all regional mackerel stocks compared to 2025’s recommended levels.

With the stock consistently fished above sustainable thresholds, this translates to a 77 per cent cut on the 755,143 tonnes scientists estimated would be caught in 2025.

Overfishing has resulted in depleting mackerel stocks in the north-east Atlantic, with Ices saying the species, and the wider fishing industry, could face long-term risks unless countries stick to recommended catch limits.

Waitrose said the decision in December by four of the coastal states which fish mackerel to cut catches by 48 per cent was a step forward, but did not meet Ices advice.

North-east Atlantic mackerel will no longer meet the supermarket’s responsible sourcing requirements in line with the Sustainable Seafood Coalition codes of conduct, the retailer said.

Jake Pickering, head of agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries at Waitrose, said: “By suspending sourcing of mackerel at Waitrose we are reinforcing our ethical and sustainable business commitments, acting to tackle overfishing and protect the long-term health of our oceans and this crucial fish.

“Our customers trust us to source responsibly, and we are closely monitoring the fishery.

“We look forward to bringing mackerel back to our shelves once it meets our high sourcing standards.”

As alternatives, Waitrose is launching a new range of fish products including hot smoked herring, hot smoked peppered herring and hot smoked sweetcure seabass, all of which are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified.

The retailer said it would also introduce MSC-certified frozen sardines from May as a sustainable replacement for frozen mackerel, and plans to become the first retailer to sell 100 per cent MSC tinned sardines.

Waitrose said it would maintain its relationship with its mackerel suppliers and its new supply of herring, seabass, sardines and trout will be sourced through current supplier partnerships.

But there is currently no predetermined time-frame as to when Waitrose will start sourcing mackerel again.

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Marija Rompani, director of ethics and sustainability at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “We believe sustainable food production must balance climate action, nature protection and responsible fish sourcing is fundamental to protecting our oceans.

“We will continue to work closely with suppliers and industry partners to support the recovery and responsible management of fish stocks.”

Charles Clover, co-founder of conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation, said mackerel – one of the largest remaining commercial fish stocks in the north-east Atlantic – had declined 75 per cent in the last 10 years because fishing nations, including the UK, had overfished it.

“They have put too little effort into the task of reaching agreement on a sharing arrangement – and some countries have been awarding themselves more quota than is justified by science,” he said.

“This crisis has been ignored for too long.

“We hope that this action by Waitrose sends it to the top of the political agenda. We call on other retailers to follow Waitrose’s example.”

Gold’s long-term outlook remains bullish as global de-dollarisation, rising fiscal stress and escalating geopolitical tensions reshape the global financial order, according to a report by Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd (MOFSL).In its latest Precious Metals Quarterly Report, the brokerage said gold prices crossed the $5,000 per ounce mark in early 2026, marking one of the strongest long-term bull phases in modern history.The firm said gold has entered a “structural repricing phase,” signalling the beginning of a new supercycle rather than a short-term cyclical rally.

Target of $6,000 in 12 months, $7,500 medium term

MOFSL expects Comex gold to settle towards $6,000 per ounce — equivalent to around Rs 1.85 lakh per 10 grams domestically — over the next 12 months. It also sees the potential for prices to move towards $7,500 per ounce in the medium term if geopolitical and fiscal pressures intensify.“The long-term outlook for gold remains positive. As global reserves gradually diversify away from dollar-centric assets and physical supply remains constrained, gold prices are likely to stay supported around and above $5,000 per ounce,” Navneet Damani, head of research, Commodities, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, said, as quoted by news agency PTI.Damani added that the current cycle is being driven not just by inflation, but by confidence — or the lack of it — in fiscal and monetary systems.

Gold rises despite positive real rates

The report highlighted that gold continued to climb even when real interest rates were positive between 2023 and 2025 — a period when prices would typically decline.This trend indicates that investors are increasingly worried about mounting global debt levels and the long-term stability of fiscal and monetary frameworks.“Gold’s strength despite positive real interest rates shows a clear shift in investor thinking. Real returns are increasingly seen as temporary and policy-driven, which reduces the cost of holding gold and strengthens its role as a safeguard against broader financial risks,” Manav Modi, analyst – commodities, MOFSL, said.

Geopolitical tensions, supply constraints add support

According to the report, rising geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia, along with renewed trade tensions and tariff-related disruptions, have heightened inflation and currency volatility, making gold more attractive as a neutral and reliable asset.Damani noted that as fiscal stress increases and questions emerge over monetary independence, gold’s role as non-sovereign money has gained prominence, leading to a structural shift in demand.The brokerage also pointed to tight global physical supply conditions supporting prices. Limited mine output, shrinking inventories across major exchanges and rising production costs have kept precious metal prices elevated.

Domestic demand and central bank buying

On the domestic front, rupee depreciation and strong retail demand have further supported gold prices. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have seen renewed inflows after years of decline, the report said.Central banks have remained consistent buyers, adding around 1,000 tonnes of gold annually for four consecutive years as part of efforts to diversify reserves and reduce reliance on dollar-based assets.Overall, MOFSL expects gold to remain well supported over the long term, driven by reserve diversification, constrained supply growth and ongoing global economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

The London Stock Exchange Group has unveiled plans for a £3 billion share buyback amid pressure from an activist investor and as artificial intelligence fears have hammered the stock.

LSEG said it would follow £2.1 billion in buybacks made last year with another £3 billion by February next year, on top of a hike in dividend payouts.

Details of the pledge to step up returns for investors came as it reported underlying operating profits of £3.51 billion for 2025, up 10.8% or 14.7% higher on a constant currency basis.

On a bottom line basis, pre-tax profits jumped 56.5% to £1.97 billion for 2025.

Shares in the group rose as much as 5% in Thursday morning trading, in a welcome increase after the stock has been battered in recent weeks by global investor concerns over the impact of AI on its firm and data companies more widely.

Shares in the firm, which makes a significant chunk of its earnings from selling access to markets data, have slumped by nearly a third in the past year.

Activist investor Elliott Management has also built up a stake in the firm earlier this month and has reportedly been pushing for more share buybacks as it has held talks with LSEG bosses.

In the face of the recent shares slump, chief executive David Schwimmer said recent results showed “another year of very strong financial performance”.

He said: “In the fourth quarter alone, major financial institutions signed long-term contracts worth £1.9 billion to access our leading data and workflow.”

“With our LSEG Everywhere data strategy, we are positioning ourselves as the partner of choice for licensed, trusted data as the use of AI in decision-making scales – and we are seeing very positive signs of adoption,” he added.

It outlined new performance guidance for 2027 to 2029, with aims to deliver “mid to high single digit” growth in total income and further increase profitability.

Despite taking a significant stake in LSEG, the Financial Times newspaper reported earlier this week that Elliott has made assurances to the UK government over its intentions for LSEG as speculation mounted it would look to push for a break-up of the firm or for it to switch its listing to New York.