From meaty pizzas and meaty plot twists, to nostalgic shows paired with nostalgic treats, new data from Co-op has uncovered exactly what the nation eats while glued to TV’s biggest cultural moments.
If you’re reaching for cheesy crisps or pizza, chances are you are stress scoffing through spicy drama on Celebrity Traitors or I’m A Celebrity.
Nostalgic snacks like Walkers Variety crisps and Maltesers are shoppers’ top pick during cosy shows.
Prefer a handful of Cadbury Mini Eggs? Maybe that’s because you’re riding the waves of emotion that come with the tense crime series, Protection.
And if juicy strawberries or crunchy carrots are your snack of choice, you’re inspired by the frantic fun on Race Across the World or the Women’s Euros.
As part of research into the growing ‘Spentertainment Economy’ – the rise of consumer spending tied directly to entertainment – the convenience retailer analysed on-demand snack sales from its online shop during the highest-rated shows of 2025. Co-op is a leader in quick commerce, with deliveries in minutes ideal for top-up, forgotten items and, for those evenings in – the findings reveal the foods we reach for in those TV moments when the drama rises, the tension spikes, or the nostalgia hits!
A Feast for the Eyes: The UK’s most snack-provoking TV shows revealed (ranked by uplift in snack sales):
| TV show | Snack that saw the greatest increase in demand | Percentage of sales uplift | |
| 1 | I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Final (6.4M viewers) | Co-op British Strawberries Punnet | +1,236 per cent |
| 2 | Celebrity Traitors Final (11.1M viewers) | Co-op Double Pepperoni Stonebaked Pizza | +657 per cent |
| 3 | Race Across the World (6.5M viewers) | Four-pack of Galaxy Ripples | +334 per cent |
| 4 | I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Final (6.4M viewers) | Doritos Tangy Cheese 140G | +262 per cent |
| 5 | Strictly Come Dancing (7.3M viewers) | Maltesers | +159 per cent |
| 6 | UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 (7.1M viewers) | Co-op British Strawberries Punnet | +150 per cent |
| 7 | PROTECTION (formerly Witness Protection) (6.7M viewers)
| Cadbury Mini Eggs Bag | +130 per cent |
| 8 | The Traitors (9.9M viewers) | Co-op Sliced Carrots | +118 per cent |
| 9 | Great British Bake Off (7.2M viewers)
| Six-pack of Walkers Variety Crisps | +93 per cent |
| 10 | Eurovision (7M viewers) | Galaxy Counters | +73 per cent |
| 11 | UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 (7.1M viewers) | M&Ms Peanut Pouch | +72 per cent |
| 12 | Call the Midwife (7M viewers) | Co-op Bacon Flavoured Crisps | +45 per cent |
| 13 | Race Across the World (6.5M viewers) | Co-op Sliced Carrots | +20 per cent |
| 14 | The Traitors (9.9M viewers) | Six-pack of Walkers Wotsits Cheese | +16 per cent |
Strawberries and carrots have officially claimed the crown as the nation’s favourite healthy snacks. During the UEFA Women’s Euro, sales of large strawberries surged by 150 per cent, as Brits reached for a patriotic classic to cheer on the home team. The trend didn’t stop there: group-watching events also fuelled veggie-sharing rituals. Race Across the World saw sliced carrot sales jump by 20 per cent, as audiences opted for simple, shareable snacks amid the drama
TV expert Felicity Cross said: “The last 12 months have seen the return of the kind of audience behaviour TV execs had feared was long gone – appointment to view. Driven by the likes of The Traitors and favourites including Race Across the World, Strictly and I’m A Celeb, industry data tells us folk are once more choosing to enjoy a top watch together instead of catching up on their commute or lunch break.
“Making your favourite show a real event like this means laying on snacks to power you through and enjoy the moment with loved ones – so I’m not surprised to hear it’s Co-op’s range of choccies and crisps viewers are grabbing for a hit of dopamine in ‘stress scoffing’ moments of tense dramas and high-octane reality, nor that nostalgic comfort eating is called for in Bake Off and Strictly.
“With brilliant new telly incoming after Christmas like series four of The Traitors, Love Island All Stars, Graham Norton’s juicy new reality series The Neighbourhood and the return of The Night Manager, there’s plenty more to tuck into.”
Scarlett Rhodes, head of Q-commerce – last mile and customer, said: “We are emotionally connected to our TV shows, and you can see it in how our viewing choices are shaping how we treat ourselves during the big TV moments. Whether you like high-tension dramas and bold flavours, or cosy comfort viewing with a cuppa and a biscuit, our data shows viewers want convenient snacks to match the moment. And with Co-op deliveries arriving from store to door in minutes, they don’t have to miss any of the action.”
