(NEXSTAR) – Forget the dating apps: If you really want to meet other eligible singles, just head to the Spanish supermarket chain Mercadona between 7 and 8 p.m. and grab a pineapple.
The idea behind this trend, which has been spreading on TikTok in recent days, was discussed as early as 2017 after a contestant on the Spanish reality show “First Dates” claimed she went shopping at Mercadona between 7 and 8 p.m. to flirt and find romance, as noted by the SER (Sociedad Española de Radiodimisión, or Spanish Broadcasting Society) at the time.
Her method later came to be known as the “truco del Mercadona” on social media — or the “Mercadona trick,” according to the outlet.
On TikTok, however, users in Spain suggest that anyone partaking in the “Mercadona trick” should also place an upside-down pineapple in their cart, to make their intentions clear to onlookers who are open to being approached. Anyone interested can “bump” the cart with their own, signaling their interest.
Searching “Mercadona” on TikTok now results in dozens of viral videos showing shoppers wandering the aisles of the store with pineapples in their carts. Many, though, appear to be lighthearted, or created simply for the sake of highlighting the trend.
An official representative for Mercadona, meanwhile, has confirmed “the phenomenon” in its shops, but claims the company itself had not promoted the idea.
“The phenomenon has appeared spontaneously between our clients in our supermarkets,” the representative said.
When asked if the shops were taking any action to deter the activity — for example, by removing pineapple displays from the floor, as one employee is seen doing in a video posted to TikTok — the representative said they weren’t.
“Mercadona is not doing anything unusual in its shops due to this fact,” the representative said, adding that the employee in the video was simply doing his “normal” daily work.
Even so, it’s unclear if the “Mercadona trick” has worked for any significant portion of romance-seekers. Vivy Lin, the actress and comedian credited with reintroducing the so-called “trick” to TikTok last month, joked that she didn’t have much luck when she tried during a recent outing with a friend. Other users are posting videos with similar conclusions.
“We have not yet found the love of our life,” one young man on TikTok said, per a translation. “It will come, it will come.”
“Tomorrow at 7 o’clock we’ll be back,” his friend later explained.