Economic warning sign: Tinned fish sales are on the rise

Tinned fish in America no longer means a sad, forgotten can of tuna collecting dust in the pantry. And Americans looking to save money in the face of economic headwinds are fueling their soaring popularity.

Tinned fish in America no longer means a sad, forgotten can of tuna collecting dust in the pantry. And Americans looking to save money in the face of economic headwinds are fueling their soaring popularity. Social media users are proudly posting a mosaic of gourmet ocean-dwellers plucked from waters off the coasts of countries like Spain and Italy, with vibrant packaging that evokes a Mediterranean seaside vacation. Try a lemon caper mackerel over poached egg and toast, or chop up spicy sardines over bruschetta and balsamic, they encourage. Even Trader Joe’s, long a mainstream cultural bellwether, makes a surprisingly flavorful canned calamari. Social butterflies are hosting tinned fish parties, while those who want a chill night in are creating “seacuterie” boards – like charcuterie boards but with tinned fish – or whipping up gourmet pastas with a $4.99 can of sardines. Tinned fish, unlike toilet paper and dalgona coffee is one of those pandemic purchases that has had relative staying power in the American psyche. But chatter about tinned fish has particularly spiked in recent months, at the same time as economic anxiety and declining consumer sentiment amid the Trump administration’s chaotic trade war. Though most mainstream economists believe the United States isn’t in a recession right now, economic optimism is at a near-record low, according to University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index this month. It’s a sign that tinned fish could be a grim “recession indicator,” some social media commentators – and experts – lament. Searches for “tinned fish” on Google spiked to the highest 2023 levels around the holiday season in 2024 and maintained an uptick since then. In the past 90 days, searches for Nuri’s Portuguese sardines in spiced olive oil skyrocketed 2,750% and Brunswick sardines in olive oil jumped 4,000%.