The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) annually assesses which fish are safe to consume and which should be avoided. In its latest fishing guide, the Baltic herring has been classified as endangered.
As a result, Axfood, which owns Willys, has announced that it will no longer sell surströmming.
– The problem lies in industrial-scale trawling of herring for fishmeal production, says Åsa Domeij, Axfood's head of sustainability.
– This unsustainable practice depletes fish stocks and harms coastal communities that rely on herring for livelihoods, including surströmming production.
Eurén believes Willys has no choice but to halt surströmming sales.
– We made a commitment over a decade ago to avoid selling endangered fish, and we're sticking to it, she says.
– It's unfortunate, but necessary. We hope to find ways to sell sustainably sourced herring in the future, perhaps by partnering with local fishermen.
When asked about reactions from local fishermen, Eurén replied:
– We haven't heard from any yet. But we hope they understand our commitment to long-term sustainability and the importance of rebuilding herring stocks.