Shoppers across Europe are noticing a recurring gap in supermarket aisles: canned sardines are increasingly hard to find. Major retailers like Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, and Kaufland have all confirmed temporary supply bottlenecks and spot shortages affecting both private-label and brand-name products.
So, what is happening behind the scenes, and why are consumers facing empty shelves?
What Happened
Major German retailers have acknowledged rising supply constraints. Aldi Nord pointed to challenging fishing conditions affecting overall availability, while Rewe cited an "europaweit angespannten Rohwarensituation" (a tense raw material situation across Europe).
Lidl and Kaufland also confirmed sporadic availability issues, noting that rising consumer demand has compounded the problem. Delivery services like Picnic are feeling the pinch as well. According to industry experts, the root of the crisis traces back far beyond local warehouses.
Why It Matters
The primary driver behind the shortage is a dramatic decline in fish stocks off the coasts of Morocco and Western Sahara, which serve as the most crucial sardine fishery for the European market.
Data from the Moroccan fisheries administration highlights the severity of the drop: annual landings plunged from 965,000 tonnes in 2022 to just 525,000 tonnes by 2024. Experts attribute the decline to climate change impacts, shifting ocean conditions, and heavy overfishing.
To protect dwindling populations, the Moroccan government implemented stricter management policies. Crucially, strict export restrictions and suspensions on frozen sardines took effect to prioritize the domestic market. Because Morocco was Europe's top supplier, these measures instantly disrupted European processors.
What's Next
While the "true sardine" (Sardina pilchardus) is also fished off Spain and Portugal—where stocks have shown some recovery—those regional catches fall far short of filling the massive supply gap left by North African imports.
Industry experts warn that a quick market recovery is unlikely. With supply tightly constrained, manufacturers are increasingly pivoting to alternative species like sardinelles from the Indian Ocean and tropical Atlantic. However, consumers should prepare for lingering shortages and potential price hikes as availability remains restricted.
