Surprising reason why many people stopped buying canned tuna

A few years ago it was still commonplace to find tuna mayo sandwiches in schoolchildren’s lunchboxes or tuna casseroles at a potluck dinner. However, it seems that millennials have changed this trend.

The US Department of Agriculture has reported that the sales of canned tuna have decreased by 42% in the last 30 years.

One of the suspected reasons for this is the culture of foodies who prefer fresher food for aesthetic and health purposes.

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The surprising reason why a lot of people aren't buying canned tuna https://t.co/swEIdINshZ

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Processed foods, in general, have gained a reputation as lacking nutritional value. Popular diet choices such as vegetarianism, veganism, and paleo have also caused people to see processed foods as a no-go zone.

While all these factors are reasons for the steady decline of canned tuna sales, the biggest reason is a matter of convenience for modern-day consumers.

Latest casualty of dread millennials: canned tuna! https://t.co/k1BBnlxlxM pic.twitter.com/LYC7DH6jyr

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) December 3, 2018

WHY TUNA SALES ARE DOWN

It has been found that many millennials don’t own can openers, therefore making it impossible for them to consume canned food, tuna included.

There's only one way to get millennials eating tuna again: it needs to be in a bright white unmarked can with a single blue stripe running across the middle, sold only via online subscription for $5 a month at https://t.co/2mY4QYkSY1, which is heavily advertised on podcasts

— Tom Gara (@tomgara) December 3, 2018

Certain tuna companies have innovated their packaging to meet these challenges. StarKist responded to the news by introducing an easy to open pouch that comes with a spoon.

Companies are also meeting ethical challenges surrounding the fishing industry. Bumble Bee has done so by launching a website which customers can use to track where their specific product’s tuna was caught.

Canned Tuna companies are blaming millennials for decline in sales https://t.co/Y8y16I2xYc pic.twitter.com/Yy7lBv13wa

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TUNA’S NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Specific diets strictly forbid canned tuna, but it is not necessarily a good thing. Tuna contains nutritional elements which all humans need for a healthy and balanced diet, while still staying on budget.

Tuna contains both omega three fatty acids and vitamin B12. Omega 3 fatty acids assist in strengthening the brain and decreasing inflammation. Vitamin B12 is a crucial ingredient in red blood cell formation and energy creation.

"A lot of millennials don’t own can openers," says Starkist’s VP of marketing and innovation in a new report https://t.co/Kw5BxtCFBN

— New York Magazine (@NYMag) December 4, 2018

However, canned tuna possesses a danger in the form of mercury. This is due to the high level of pollution in the ocean. Mercury’s side effects include nervous system collapse which can eventually result in death.