There are two viral topics that Generation Z is now talking about on TikTok: Pumpkin Spice and pickles. Pickles are thus generating obsession among the new generations, and social media reflecting their new status.
A cursory glance at TikTok would suffice to confirm their legitimacy: pickles have been popular on the app for months now, with an hastag that has had more than 3.7 billion likes; and viral pickle-eating challenges, such as Florence Pugh‘s.
TikTok, as a projector of the social and cultural reality that envelops us, also thus encumbrates pickles, for which its Google search has shot up by 3,800% since the beginning of 2023.
What’s behind ‘Picklegate?
One of the latest trends surrounding this food has been PICKLEGATE: a pickle conspiracy that has generated controversy on social media, courtesy of user Jesse Banwell (@jessebanwell).
In the video, Banwell points out that his Claussen and Mt. Olive pickle jars mysteriously lack the word ‘pickle’ on their labels. Well, that post that drifted into the ocean of viral with 2 million views, triggering a flurry of reactions and physical moves to the fridge to check if his jars contained the word ‘pickle’.
However, the controversy surrounding the word ‘pickle’ on the labeling of pickles is about a conundrum that has been unresolved for a long time now. There’s even a Reddit thread about it dating back to 2017. But it wasn’t until Banwell shared his TikTok that the mystery really gained traction.
Banwell explains in the video that he was making sandwiches for his kids when he made the discovery: ‘Here’s what happened. I was making some sandwiches for my kids earlier. For some reason, my youngest son wanted to write ‘pickles’ on a piece of paper. And he went to look at the jar to see how to write it. And he couldn’t find the word anywhere,’ he explained.
After what happened, he checked other jars of pickles to see if they were also missing the word ‘pickle,’ and it turned out they were all missing. ‘I haven’t been able to find any real information as to why they don’t say ‘pickle’ on any of the jars. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. There has to be some reason for it. Maybe it’s something legal. I really don’t know,’ he said.
Pickles in fashion
Pickle sweatshirts have become the latest trend on TikTok: design pieces that worship this acidic snack that has invaded the platform. Thus, several online stores seem to be selling these sweatshirts or T-shirts that are usually based on a composition of different pickle jars.
While pickle T-shirts may be nothing new, online retailer, Bad Addiction Boutique, seems to be the origin of the current craze. This boutique has reached the masses, selling more than 23,200 T-shirts, according to Today. Mostly, thanks to its videos on TikTok, which have subsequently been replayed by others, giving rise to the viral stream. The ‘pickle season’ continues.