April 1 remains the day on which brands pull out all the stops to stand out. But this year felt different from previous editions: influencers participated in droves, AI-generated content was everywhere, and a remarkable number of jokes capitalized on trends that have been around for a long time on social media. From matcha to personalized products and absurd food combinations: brands went all out on April 1, 2026.
In this overview, we list the best April 1 jokes of 2026 for you.
Lidl is known for surprising non-food promotions, but we didn't quite see this coming: the supermarket chain launched L' by Lidl, its own lingerie line. Affordable, stylish and naturally designed in the recognisable Lidl look. Because why go to an expensive lingerie store for your underwear when you can just take it with you besides the potatoes?
2. Heinz Matcha Mayo
Matcha was really everywhere this year: in your latte, in your skincare and apparently also in your fridge. Heinz cleverly capitalized on that trend with Matcha Mayo. Green, creamy and, according to Heinz, probably surprisingly delicious on a sandwich. Whether that's really the case, let's just wait and see.
3. HEMA personalized smoked sausage
HEMA has been personalizing everything, from cakes to mugs, for years. But in 2026, the brand added a new classic: the personalized smoked sausage. A smoked sausage with your own name on it is exactly the kind of product that makes you laugh first and then think: why not? The joke was a perfect match for the familiar HEMA marketing, in which the brand has excelled in recent years.
4. Kesbeke x XXL Nutrition protein powder
The previous collaboration between Kesbeke and EasyToys probably still resonates with many people. This year, Kesbeke came up with another remarkable collab, this time with XXL Nutrition. The result: Clear Whey Pickle Juice. A protein shake with the taste of pickle vinegar, packaged as a serious sports product.
5. Champagne Cooker
This joke was played by none other than Tobias Camman, and it actually hit him right away. For this April Fool's joke, he presented his dream product: a cooker that comes out of champagne. Straight into your glass. The combination of influencer, brand fit and absurd luxury made this joke extra strong.
6. The Pancake Maker
After the boiling water tap (and the champagne faucet), now comes the next kitchen revolution: the Pancake Maker. Build the wine invented an integrated tap that lets you run perfectly dosed, chilled pancake batter directly into the pan at the touch of a button. No bowls, no mess and no leftover batter in the sink. The accompanying quote finished it off: “We want to take up the valuable time of two-earners as little as possible.”
7. Van Gilse icing sugar spray
To stay in the pancake mood for a while: Van Gilse came up with icing sugar spray. In doing so, the brand cleverly took advantage of the oil sprays that have recently become extremely trendy in the kitchen and on social media. No sieve, no splashing and no white haze all over your kitchen counter, just spray where you want it. Especially useful for anyone who ever tried to sprinkle a stroopwafel or pancake and ended up touching themselves.
8. Polarsteps: the Earth is flat
Polarsteps this year, it took a slightly more intellectual approach. In collaboration with the fictional Ankh-Morpork University travel data from millions of trips would have finally proven that the Earth is not a sphere at all, but a flat disk surrounded by ice walls. CEO Clare Jones summed it up aptly: “The evidence has finally tipped us over the edge.” The famous rotating globe in the app would also make way for a flat map. For fans of Terry Pratchett, the reference was to Ankh-Morpork of course, immediately clear.
9. Tony's Chocolonely Caramel Sea Salt Scrub
Tony's Chocolonely is famous for chocolate on a mission, but went in a completely different direction this year with Caramel Sea Salt Bath Salt. The scent of their popular bar, but for the bath. Whether you would also like to snack on it, leave us in the middle.
10. IKEA x Chupa Chups
IKEA's April 1st jokes are now almost as iconic as the Billy bookcase. This year, the brand did not disappoint either. With the festival season approaching, IKEA cleverly tapped into the typical festival snack culture with the Ollie Meatball, a collaboration with Chupa Chups.
What stood out about April 1, 2026?
What 1 April this year mainly showed is how quickly brands are responding to culture, trends and online formats. AI played a clear role in this: not only as the subject of jokes, but also as a means to make them faster and bigger. In addition, it was striking how often the same trends returned, with matcha as the absolute favorite. Moreover, brands seem to be increasingly understanding what works on social: something that is immediately recognisable, visually strong, slightly absurd and just credible enough to make people doubt for a moment.
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