Upside Down Pineapple in the Wine Aisle? Spain’s TikTok Trend Gives New Life to Finding Love at the Supermarket

After almost three decades since online dating became the norm, people are giving love another chance—at the supermarket. If pineapple wasn’t your favorite fruit, then it might start being it. A new trend that began at Mercadona supermarkets in Spain has gone viral. And has us reflecting on the one thing we already knew: people are tired of modern dating. 

Let’s face it: the days of summer love aren’t what they used to be. The art of dating and romance has been reduced to swiping on an ocean of candidates on your phone. As much as we want to say that we’re “playing the field,” “want something casual,” and are fine with quick dating, the truth is that human beings crave something intrinsic to our nature—connection. 

While dating apps open up possibilities for meeting hundreds, if not thousands, of people, they also create false ideals. We often begin to think there are endless options and no one is quite “good enough.”

Funnily, in Spain, one of the countries where studies show finding a partner is quite difficult and more than 27% of the population doesn’t have one, singles are buying into the Mercadona pineapple trend. Yes, singles are crowding the supermarket for one hour a day in the hopes that they might, in fact, find a match. 

Mercadona matches include a pineapple on the wine aisle, and its filters are not what you would expect

It all started with comedian Vivy Lin, whom “El País” credits with sparking the trend. She recorded herself at a Mercadona in Sevilla in August. 

In the clip, Lin is walking with her friend Carla Alarcón. As they wander the aisles of Mercadona, Alarcón asks what the best time to  “ligar” or “hook up” is in Mercadona. 

To their surprise—after a quick Google search—they found it’s from 7 to 8 p.m. 

Of course, after the video went viral, thousands of users flocked to the supermarket chain to verify the facts. They also shared the food filters necessary to bump your cart against someone else’s. 

For one, upside-down pineapples are placed in the cart to show you are here for business (and pleasure). Interestingly, pineapples have been used by the Swinging community as a secret mating beacon for decades. The more you know…

Next, if you’re looking for a long-term relationship, some people place lentils or canned goods in their carts. It turns out they symbolize foods that last a while. If you’re more into the one-night stand side, you might go with something more perishable, like lettuce. 

Once you’ve got all your ingredients set, head over to the wine aisle. If someone else has an upside-down pineapple that wants to match, they’ll lightly bump their cart against you. Take that, swipe right. 

Yes, the trend is real, but trying to find love at a supermarket is not

As hundreds of singles head to Mercadona to find love, some are still skeptical. Still, whether out of curiosity or genuine desire to find love, they’ve decided to find out. 

One user on influencer Ana Gildersleeve’s video on the subject claims, “I was just in Spain, and this is for real. Way to go, Mercadona—impressive marketing strategy.” 

Another added, “Mercadona exists in Portugal too, so people started doing it there as well  ????.” 

Meanwhile, other users are more concerned about the lack of pineapples at the store. “The other day, I went at 5 in the afternoon, and there weren’t any pineapples!” 

Still, while this new trend takes over in Spain, the truth is that finding love at the supermarket has been around for a while. In places like Los Angeles, some “supermarket dating” trends have been observed in places like Erewhon. Instead of bumping into randos, you might catch the sight of someone like Leonardo DiCaprio, Kylie Jenner, or Brad Pitt. The rest is up to the odds. 

Professional matchmaker, Christina Weber, shared on the “Deepen With Christina” podcast that she organizes something called “Shop and Shag.” This event takes place on Aisle 6 at Erewhon, where groups of singles can head over to find a match. 

With all these new trends emerging, it begs the question we all really want to know: are dating apps over for new generations of daters? Is fizzling love out the window? And if so, how can people move forward with their love life? 

A new dating era may be dawning. Is it the end of the loneliness epidemic?

Intimate relationships have been in crisis mode for a while. In the United States alone, Census Bureau data shows that 46.4% of adults are single. Simply put, that’s about 117.6 million unmarried, widowed, or divorced Americans. 

Additionally, data on global loneliness reached an alarming rate after the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, the World Health Organization declared loneliness a “global public health concern,” equating loneliness as detrimental as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. 

A 2023 survey from the Thriving Center of Psychology also shows how modern dating is perceived as more difficult than before. 35% of those surveyed say they have gone on fewer dates because of inflation, and 49% think it’s socially acceptable to stalk a date online before going out. 

The survey also found that 75% of people find it hard to find people to date without looking online, and 67% have used dating apps. Still, while some users have found it nearly inevitable to use dating apps, 69% of those surveyed don’t like them. 

As a Sex and Relationships coach myself, most of my clients navigate these issues at the intersection of frustration and hope. While many of them desire to meet someone who could turn into a potential partner, they’re finding people who want a “quick fix” or an “immediate match,”  not individuals who are seeking to build connection and truly get to know each other before taking steps toward a relationship. 

More and more, dating is turning into a screening exercise. Rather than exploring whether there’s real chemistry between you and your date, first encounters come along with an endless checklist in the pursuit of the “perfect” candidate. Not only does this turn love into a mechanical practice, but it also begs the question: Are we actually dating people we like or simply looking to fill a role and a void in our lives?

While there’s still a long way to go in transforming modern dating into a kinder, more respectful, and less lonely place, these trends show that despite periods of disconnection, humans still crave partnership, community, and mucho, mucho, amor.