April Fools’ Day is upon us, which means pranksters across the country are preparing their best hoaxes and mischievous schemes – and high-street brands are no exception.
Every year on 1 April, companies broadcast their most outrageous offers and new products, leaving customers to decipher whether they are, in fact, the real deal.
From Scotland to Iceland to the US, the day is honoured in a wide array of ways and is thought to have started hundreds of years ago.
One of the most notable pranks involved the BBC World Service declaring in 1980 that Big Ben would become a digital clock and be renamed Digital Dave, according to the UK parliament.
This year, household names including Cadbury’s, Walkers and Branston indulged in the celebrations. Below, The Independent has listed the best jokes of this year’s April Fools’ Day:
Walkers swapping stunt
Crisp enthusiasts were shocked to see Walkers saying it would swap over its packaging between fan-favourite flavours Cheese and Onion and Salt and Vinegar.
A billboard appeared to show the Walkers Salt and Vinegar crisps now on blue packaging, and the Walkers Cheese and Onion crisps on green – and pictures on social media surfaced of the new packets in real life.
There was a mixed reaction from customers, with several claiming these were “always the right colours,” while others said: “You’ve literally confused the whole of England.”
Babybel launches wax sleeping bag
The company behind the iconic round cheese announced it has created a limited-edition wax sleeping bag.
The product is designed to give consumers the opportunity to know what it’s like to be a Babybel, and apparently comes with a peelable opening mechanism.
Sweet dreams are made of cheese, says Babybel (Babybel)
Terry’s minty fresh toothpaste
Best known for its iconic chocolate orange, Terry’s claimed it has decided to branch out into the dental care sector.
Designed to mimic its own mint chocolate flavour, it says it is perfect for the 20 per cent of Gen Z and Millennials who said they’d love to try it.
Mint chocolate… toothpaste (Terry’s)
Napolina’s sharing spaghetti
Valentine’s Day may have been and gone, but you can recreate one of cinema’s most romantic moments with Napolina’s latest offering.
The pasta brand has introduced giant spaghetti, designed to be “extra-long and perfect for bringing everyone to the table”.
Would you try this spaghetti? (Napolina)
Currys de-boner
Are you tired of messy chicken wing nights? Currys said it has launched the De-Boner, which is apparently the world’s first fully automated chicken wing de-boning machine.
Developed by Philips to strip every bit of meat off the bone, Currys said it has also teamed up with Wingstop UK to give users a chance to win vouchers to test out their new purchase.
The De-Boner is apparently the world’s first fully automated chicken wing de-boning machine (Currys)
Cadbury’s ‘Creme Egg on the goo’
Ever fancied the inside of a Creme Egg on your chips? Well, today is your lucky day.
Cadbury UK teased a “new” product on its social media on Tuesday – a sachet of the gooey Creme Egg filling.
“Move over boring condiments, Creme Egg On The Goo is here,” the company wrote.
Branston’s baked bean lipgloss
A new cult beauty product has landed – Branston’s bean lipgloss…
Announcing its new “tin to tint” product on social media, the brand said: “The five-star taste you know and love — now in your pocket.
“Introducing the first-ever Branston Beans Lip Gloss: hydrating, high-shine, and bursting with that remarkably rich & totally tomatoey flavour.
“Never be without it. Carry Branston Beans with you everywhere.”
Nerds’s sweet and savoury chicken
Sweet brand Nerds claimed it has launched its own line of fried chicken to mark April Fools’ Day.
The range begins with Nerds-glazed chicken tenders and also includes the Nerds gummy chicken sandwich with pickles and of course, Nerds.
Announcing the product on Instagram, the company dared KFC to “come to the mic”.
Sweet brand Nerds claimed it has launched its own line of fried chicken (Nerds)
