Becca Monaghan
Oct 22, 2024
iStock
A controversial dating trend is taking place across supermarkets with people turning to red bell peppers to signal they're looking to have an affair.
The 'bell pepper code' was exposed on an online forum on a dating site dedicated to married people seeking out new lovers.
The post suggested people should place two bell peppers in their shopping trolleys with the stems facing downwards, likening it to a "secret handshake, but with veg".
"What if we start a secret code in the most mundane place of all – THE SUPERMARKET," the poster shared. "It’s perfect! No one would ever suspect that your weekly food shop could lead to something a lot more... sizzling."
They continued: "Think about it. You’re casually browsing the aisles and suddenly you spot someone with the telltale peppers in their basket. Your eyes meet. There’s a knowing glance. An instant connection, all thanks to a couple of peppers."
Shockingly, the post was well received with one person confessing to trying out the questionable trick.
They claimed they tried it in a UK Tesco store on a Friday night when they noticed someone else doing the same thing. "There was a bit of an awkward smile and we spoke for a bit. I don't think we were quite right for each other but it was nice to have a chat with someone else who clearly isn't happy in their relationship," they wrote.
Another quipped they "had not seen so much traffic on a forum topic".
Commenting on the discussion, Jessica Leoni, a spokesperson for Illicit Encounters, said: "While we normally encourage discretion in these matters, we never thought we’d see the day where people would be checking out each other’s vegetables in the supermarket – and not in the way you’d expect!
"If this catches on, I suppose we can only hope everyone’s keeping their cool in the frozen food aisle."
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