Imagine walking into a supermarket, casually browsing for a pineapple, and finding yourself in an unexpected romantic encounter near the frozen food aisle. It sounds like a plot from a quirky rom-com, right? But this is real life, and it’s happening at Mercadona, one of Spain‘s largest supermarket chains. A new, bizarre trend has taken over social media, turning mundane grocery shopping into a hunt for love, adventure, or maybe just a good story to tell at dinner parties.

How Did This Pineapple Phenomenon Start?

It all began with a TikTok video by actress Vivy Lin, who shared her humorous take on how to flirt in Mercadona. What started as a light-hearted post quickly turned into a viral sensation, with over 60,000 mentions on X (formerly Twitter) and countless reactions from people who were either amused or intrigued—or both. Suddenly, Mercadona became not just a place to buy Hacendado products but also a hotspot to find a future love interest.

The video encouraged viewers to head to Mercadona between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm grab a pineapple, and flip it upside down in their shopping cart. This upside-down pineapple became the secret signal that you were open to meeting someone new. The next step? Head to the wine aisle and ‘accidentally’ bump your cart into someone else’s who also has an upside-down pineapple. Voilà! You have a potential match.

The Rules of the Game: Where to Go and What to Do

Navigating this new flirting trend has its own set of rules, which seem to depend on your age and intentions:

1. Timing is Everything: The magic hour is between 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm. Arrive too early or too late, and you might miss the action.
2. Choose Your Aisle Wisely:
   • If you’re between 19 and 25, head to the frozen food section.
   • Those aged 25 and above are encouraged to visit the fish counter.
   • And for those over 40, the wine aisle is your stage.
3. Decoding the Shopping Cart: Your choice of groceries apparently says a lot about what you’re looking for:
   • Lettuce (which spoils quickly) signals a desire for a short fling.
   • Lentils (which have a long shelf life) suggest you’re looking for something more serious.
   • A bottle of olive oil hints that you’re interested in someone with some financial stability.

From TikTok to Reality: Does It Actually Work?

While the concept may sound far-fetched, TikTok users are already putting it to the test. One woman documented her experience at the Mercadona in Santa Eulària, where she nervously grabbed a pineapple. Despite her initial embarrassment, the experiment paid off. In the final scene of her video, she shows herself having dinner with a new friend she met that day. It seems that for some, this unexpected tactic is actually yielding results!

Social media is filled with videos of people checking this out.

lo que me pasó ayer en mercadona es para estudiarlo pic.twitter.com/HxzgOh1Evj

— Jokki (@jokkij0kki) August 30, 2024

Soy la única que piensa que Mercadona se ha marcado una estrategia de marketing de la hostia? https://t.co/WOaKZHXdus

— 𝙴𝚢𝚛𝚊 (@eyra_hagalaz) August 30, 2024

The Future of Grocery Store Flirting

Could this trend be the next big thing in dating? Social media is buzzing with both success stories and hilarious failures, as people across Spain flock to their local Mercadona with pineapples in hand. Whether it’s a social experiment, a clever marketing move, or just a bit of fun in the mundane routine of grocery shopping, one thing is for sure: it has captured the imagination of many.

So, if you’re looking for love or just a good laugh, head to Mercadona around 7 PM, flip that pineapple upside down, and see where it takes you. Who knew finding romance could be this… fruity?

Let us know what you think in the comments…

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Image: Shutterstock/AYO Production