- Sardinemaxxing involves deliberately increasing sardine consumption for health benefits
- Sardines provide protein, omega-3s, vitamins and essential minerals
- Online interest has surged
- Affordability and shelf life support growing consumer demand trends
- Higher demand may disrupt local markets, not global supply
Sardines have seen a significant surge in popularity with the rise of ‘sardinemaxxing’
The trend initially took hold earlier this year, but has seen a recent resurgence: interest in ‘sardinemaxxing’ has grown by 100% between 2 August and 16 August
What nutritional qualities are attracting consumers to sardines? And could enough demand lead to a sardine shortage?
Sardines are the latest food to get the ‘maxxing’ treatment. In linguistic terms, this consists adding the word ‘maxxing’ to a food or ingredient
In practical terms, however, it means that consumers are trying to eat as many sardines as possible, just as they have done with protein (proteinmaxxing) and fibre (fibremaxxing)
Yet sardines, unlike these two examples, are a single food rather than a vital nutrient or ingredient. What is so special about sardines, and why are people ‘maxxing’ them?
Consumers are drawn to the tinned fish due to a wide range of health benefits
Oily fish such as sardines is a goodistered dietician at marketing and nutrition consultancy Chickpea Marketing
They also contain minerals such as iodine, zinc, iron and selenium, which can help support bone strength, joint health and overall wellbeing
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the long-chain omega-3s often found in oily fish like sardines, are beneficial for the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune and hormone systems, according to the British Dietetic Association (BDA)
However, in terms of omega-3 content, sardines do not contain as much as mackerel, herring and salmon, Toyn explains
Sardines are often associated with skin health. A systematic review found that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which are present in sardines, are good for managing psoriasis, dermatitis and melanoma with no adverse effects
Sardines also have the potential to tap into other health trends. In nutritional terms, Toyn explains, their anti-inflammatory profile and staple status in the Mediterranean ties them into health food trends. Their edible bones and skin ties them into ancestral and nose-to-tail eating movements. They are a convenient high-protein food, linking them into the wider trend of easy high-protein snacking
Furthermore, they are low cost and have a long shelf-life, making them well-suited to consumers struggling with cost-of-living pressures
The benefits of sardines, such as vitamin D3 and protein, show up in TikTok content around ‘sardinemaxxing’
Sardines, which are wild caught, originate all over the world, with the biggest producer being Morocco, explains Dave Martin, global supply chains director for nonprofit Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Interest in them has seen a bump as well. UK seafood public body Seafish, for example, has noticed interest in sardines strengthen, with sardine sales in the UK rising by 3.7% in 2026 relative to 2025, compared to only a 0.2% increase in seafood consumption overall
Social media likely played a role in this, but so did the affordability of sardines during tough economic times, says Rowan Williams, commercial officer for the UK & Ireland team at non-profit Marine Stewardship Council
“Even despite increasing consumption of sardines over the past decade, sardine prices have risen by 31%, which is lower than similar species such as mackerel, anchovies, or herring in the same time period; and have also risen slower than the overall average price of seafood.”
In the past, viral demand for certain ingredients, from pistachios to ube, have led to shortages. Could the same thing happen with sardines?
It might cause local disruptions, but will not impact global trade, predicts Sustainable Fisheries Partnership’s Martin
Sardines have seen strong demand. They are convenient, packed with nutrients, and tie seamlessly into a wide range of already existing food trends
