The company operates more than 100 supermarkets across Germany and sells thousands of products under its own brand, many of which are also distributed through major retailers such as dm-drogerie markt. As one of Germany's most trusted organic retail brands, Alnatura's public commitment, which includes its retail stores as well as all Alnatura-branded products sold elsewhere, reinforces the growing view that krill oil is increasingly incompatible with sustainability-focused retail standards.

The decision follows heightened scrutiny of the Antarctic krill fishery resulting from four consecutive Sea Shepherd expeditions to the Southern Ocean. During these campaigns, Sea Shepherd documented industrial supertrawlers operating among foraging whale pods inside a proposed marine protected area.

Krill are a keystone species in the Southern Ocean, converting energy captured by phytoplankton into a food source that sustains whales, penguins, seals, and countless other species. When krill populations decline, the effects ripple throughout the Antarctic ecosystem. Scientific studies suggest that krill densities around the Antarctic Peninsula, where much of the fishing occurs, may have declined by as much as 80 percent since the 1970s.

Earlier this year, Germany's two largest drugstore chains, Rossmann and dm-drogerie markt, confirmed to Sea Shepherd Global that they are phasing out krill oil supplements and other krill-derived products from their ranges.

Together, Rossmann and dm account for approximately 85 percent of Germany's drugstore market. Their decisions mean that the overwhelming majority of the country's drugstore sector is now committed to going krill-free.

Alnatura's commitment demonstrates that this shift is extending beyond the pharmacies and drugstores and into mainstream grocery retail. The decision may encourage other sustainability-focused grocers to adopt similar policies.

"Germany was once the single largest market for krill oil supplements, accounting for nearly 10 percent of global demand. Just two years ago, analysts projected that Germany would remain the dominant European market for krill products well into the next decade. That outlook has now been turned on its head,” said Peter Hammarstedt, Chief Campaigns Officer for Sea Shepherd Global.

“Soon, krill-derived products will no longer be available in four-fifths of Germany's drugstores, and thanks to the leadership of Alnatura, they are becoming increasingly difficult to find in grocery stores as well. In the span of just a few months, Germany has gone from being the center of Europe's krill oil market to one of the most challenging places on the continent to purchase krill-derived products.

This remarkable shift shows how quickly markets can change when companies choose to align their policies with the protection of Antarctic wildlife." 

Learn more about how Sea Shepherd co-created the first retail pledge to phase out krill products.