Tinned tuna sales soar as TikTok trend makes the cupboard staple cool

Social media influencers on TikTok have propelled tinned tuna to the "height of culinary fashion", according to a supermarket buyer, as sales of the cupboard staple have surged across the UK.

Tesco has reported a significant increase in demand, with sales of tinned tuna rising by nearly 18 per cent over the past two years. This equates to an additional 2.25 million kilograms of the product sold.

While tuna and other tinned fish were once among the most popular kitchen essentials for much of the 20th century, their widespread appeal gradually declined with the advent of refrigeration after the Second World War. Despite a brief resurgence during lockdown due to demand for long-shelf-life foods, it is now younger shoppers on social media platforms who are bringing it back into vogue.

Lee Bannerman, Tesco’s tinned fish buyer, commented: "Tinned tuna is at the height of culinary fashion and is being driven by younger shoppers who have tuned into the fact that it is a cheap and convenient way of boosting their protein intake." He added that the trend, which began in America, is now "really popular in the UK."

Mr Bannerman highlighted TikTok's role, stating: "The social media site TikTok is awash with influencers posting their tinned fish meal creations and offering tips on how to jazz up simple, easy-to-make meals such as tuna pasta bakes or salmon salads." He concluded: "You’d probably need to go back nearly 100 years to find the last time that tinned fish was such an exciting commodity."

Robert Wiltshire, head of seafood sourcing and sustainability at LDH (La Doria), a key supplier to Tesco, noted that while tinned fish has always been popular with a "more defined and more mature audience," the current surge is different. He explained: "We saw a brief, artificial spike in sales during lockdown because fresh food became harder to buy and shoppers were stocking up on tinned foods that would keep for longer." However, he added: "But now the younger generation are picking up on just how versatile tuna is and even high-end restaurants are adding it to their menus – something that no one would have imagined even five years ago."

Tesco confirmed that all its tuna products, including tinned varieties, carry the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue tick, signifying sustainable sourcing. Currently, 85 per cent of the supermarket’s wild-caught seafood is MSC-certified, an achievement recognised by the MSC, which named Tesco its retailer of the year in 2025.

George Clark, MSC UK & Ireland programme director, praised the commitment: "It’s fantastic to see this ambitious commitment from Tesco to only sell MSC-certified sustainable tuna confirmed." He emphasised the importance of sustainability for younger consumers: "We know that for the younger UK consumer particularly, sustainability is really important. Making more sustainable tuna available to the TikTok generation shows how Tesco is both meeting expectations of its customers and supporting sustainable tuna fisheries worldwide."