Orkla's Stabburet reduces fish content and raises sugar in popular mackerel spread

Stabburet, owned by Orkla, has altered its mackerel in tomato spread by decreasing the amount of fish and increasing the sugar content, a move that nutrition specialist Tine Sundfør calls contradictory to health objectives. She notes that consumers choose the product for its protein, omega-3 and vitamin D, and that the reduction could affect national intake of these nutrients. Orkla’s communications director Dag Olav Stokken says the formulation of the tomato sauce remains the same and that most of the sugar is naturally present in the tomatoes, with the fish proportion now displayed on the front of the can.

The company attributes the change to higher raw-material prices and a drop in sales, aiming to keep the product affordable. Sundfør urges consumers to compare labels and use their purchasing power to discourage similar reductions in other products.