Food & Drink Trends Scavenger Hunt Tasks - 15 August 2026
This week's food scene includes Buy a jar of Heinz ‘Marry Me’ pasta sauce and photograph the front label next to your receipt (hide any personal details), Locate a supermarket shelf-edge label that says ‘New’ next to a pasta sauce, and photograph it with the product in frame, and more, and we have turned the lot into challenges. Here are 34 scavenger hunt tasks based on what the UK is eating, drinking, and queuing for.
Each task is tied to a real story, trend, or cultural moment from this week. Grab your phone, head outside, and see how many you can tick off.
This Week's Tasks
1. Buy a jar of Heinz ‘Marry Me’ pasta sauce and photograph the front label next to your receipt (hide any personal details).
* Heinz has jumped on the viral ‘Marry Me’ pasta trend with a branded sauce hitting UK shelves this week.
2. Locate a supermarket shelf-edge label that says ‘New’ next to a pasta sauce, and photograph it with the product in frame.
* This week’s buzz around new, trend-led cooking shortcuts (like viral pasta sauces) is pushing ‘new line’ shelf callouts in stores.
3. Try a ‘comfort food’ special from Bill’s x Poppy Cooks (in-restaurant), and photograph the menu page showing the collaboration name.
* Bill’s has launched a collaboration menu with viral ‘Potato Queen’ Poppy Cooks this week.
4. Spot the words ‘Poppy Cooks’ on a Bill’s in-store menu, table-talker, or specials board and photograph the wording clearly.
* The Bill’s x Poppy Cooks launch is being promoted inside restaurants this week.
5. Buy a pack from Tesco’s sausage range and photograph the back where the QR code appears (no need to scan it).
* Tesco’s sausage range has switched over exclusively to QR codes this week, making QR-on-pack a visible change in-store.
6. In a Tesco, find a sausage product where you can’t see any printed cooking instructions on-pack and photograph the QR-code prompt instead.
* The move to QR-only information on Tesco sausages is a talking point this week because it changes what shoppers can read on the pack.
7. Photograph a ‘new law now in force’ style notice or in-aisle signage about supermarket layout/aisle rules in Tesco, Aldi, or Sainsbury’s.
* UK supermarket aisle-rule changes are being reported this week and are showing up as practical in-store signage.
8. In any supermarket, identify a newly rearranged endcap that’s clearly labelled with a category sign (e.g., ‘Snacking’/‘Meal Deals’) and photograph the sign.
* This week’s reporting on new UK store rules and layout changes has put supermarket aisle organisation in the spotlight.
9. In Asda, find a shelf tag or wobble that highlights a ‘new line’ and photograph it next to the product.
* Asda has announced a big wave of new product lines this week, making ‘new in’ shelf messaging more likely to appear.
10. Compare two Asda own-brand ready meals and photograph the front-of-pack ‘serves’/portion callout on both packs in one shot.
* This week’s convenience-meal trend reporting is all about what shoppers want now—portioning and value cues are front and centre on packs.
11. Buy a loaf or bun labelled ‘milk bread’ (or ‘Japanese milk bread’) from a bakery/supermarket and photograph the label with the product.
* Japanese milk bread is being widely talked about as a UK food craze this week, and ‘milk bread’ labelling is now a real-world clue.
12. At a café/bakery, ask if they sell milk bread or milk-bread-style buns; photograph the item you’re offered (or the counter label) if they do.
* The milk bread craze is spilling from TikTok into real bakeries and cafés in the UK this week.
13. Order something ‘fricy’ (fried + spicy) from a takeaway and photograph the item with a visible chilli/spice indicator on the menu or receipt.
* The BBC has highlighted ‘fricy’ as a potential next big summer food trend this week—spicy fried options are popping up on menus.
14. Spot a menu that uses a chilli icon or ‘spice level’ scale and photograph the scale clearly.
* Super-spicy food is being reported as a UK-wide trend this week, and spice-level scales are a very visible way venues respond.
15. Buy a ‘spicy’ snack from a supermarket (crisps/noodles/nuts) and photograph the front-of-pack heat claim (e.g., ‘extra hot’/‘fiery’).
* UK retailers are leaning into the super-spicy trend this week with heat-forward packaging and flavour names.
16. Find a café or supermarket product that is clearly labelled ‘plant-based’ and photograph the label in a single, readable shot.
* Flexitarian and plant-based eating remains a key UK food trend discussed this week, and ‘plant-based’ labelling is a common real-world marker.
17. In a supermarket, photograph a ‘nostalgia’ style sweet display featuring classic pick ’n’ mix tubs or retro-branded sweets.
* Nostalgia is highlighted as a major UK food trend this week, and retro sweets displays are a visible retail expression of it.
18. Track down a ‘high protein’ or ‘protein’ callout on a ready-to-eat product (yoghurt bar/shake/snack) and photograph the claim.
* This week’s reporting on modern healthy food and consumer preferences includes the continued rise of functional nutrition cues like protein callouts.
19. Buy any ‘meal deal’ item that carries a front-of-pack ‘calories’ or ‘nutrition’ badge and photograph the badge clearly.
* Healthy F&B reporting this week highlights how shoppers use quick nutrition cues on-pack when choosing everyday food.
20. Find a supermarket sign that compares prices (e.g., ‘price locked’, ‘rollback’, or ‘great value’) and photograph it next to the featured product.
* This week’s discussion about the cheapest supermarkets for branded products is driving visible price-comparison and value messaging in-store.
21. Buy one branded product and one own-brand equivalent (same category) and photograph them side-by-side on a bench/table to show the packaging difference.
* Cheapest-supermarket comparisons this week have lots of people weighing branded vs own-brand choices in everyday shopping.
22. Find and photograph a KFC in-store design feature that looks ‘new format’ (e.g., self-order kiosks or a refreshed counter/menu layout) with the KFC logo visible.
* KFC has opened a restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon under a new design this week, highlighting the chain’s updated look and feel.
23. Order any item at KFC and photograph the receipt showing the store name and time (hide payment details).
* The new-design KFC opening story has put fresh attention on KFC locations and what’s changing in-restaurant this week.
24. In Bristol, visit the Indian street food café that’s opening in a former Tesco Express site and photograph the shopfront sign (avoid photographing faces).
* A new Indian street food café opening in a former Bristol Tesco Express has been reported this week, making it a timely local food-spotting mission.
25. In London (Canada Water), find the KERB Goes East street food area and photograph a vendor menu board with prices visible.
* KERB Goes East serving thousands of dishes at a Canada Water street food event has been in the trade news this week.
26. In London, visit Battersea Power Station and photograph the entrance signage for its South East Asian Street Food & Bars destination.
* Battersea Power Station’s South East Asian Street Food & Bars has been highlighted this week, making it a current, visitable food spot.
27. In Manchester city centre, track down the street food favourite that has reopened on Piccadilly Gardens and photograph the stall name/menu header.
* A Piccadilly Gardens street food favourite reopening after a month has been shared this week, making it a time-specific street-food hunt.
28. In a UK shop, find and photograph a chocolate bar that is clearly branded as ‘100% British’ (or equivalent wording) on the front of the pack.
* The BBC has reported on a 100% British chocolate bar milestone this week, making ‘British-made’ chocolate packaging a timely spot.
29. Buy a single chocolate bar and photograph the back where it lists the UK place of manufacture (e.g., ‘Made in…’).
* This week’s focus on British chocolate has people checking origin details on-pack—‘Made in’ lines are a simple real-world verification.
30. Find a café or deli selling a ‘Lebanese’ dish (e.g., hummus, tabbouleh, shawarma) and photograph the menu line where ‘Lebanese’ is stated.
* A Surrey Lebanese restaurant being voted into the UK’s top ten has put Lebanese food in the spotlight this week.
31. In Lancaster, photograph the ‘coming soon’ signage for the new premium Indian restaurant (name visible).
* A new ‘premium’ Indian restaurant set to open in Lancaster has been reported this week, making local opening signage time-sensitive.
32. In Newcastle, locate the Italian restaurant that’s re-opening in a new home and photograph any ‘reopening’ notice or new address detail displayed.
* A shut-down Italian restaurant’s re-opening in a new Newcastle location has been confirmed in local news this week.
33. In Stratford-upon-Avon, photograph the exterior of the newly designed KFC showing any ‘new look’ branding or updated façade details.
* The Stratford-upon-Avon KFC opening under a new design is a specific, this-week retail/hospitality update you can physically verify.
34. In any café, order a ‘nostalgic’ classic drink (e.g., hot chocolate or a traditional milkshake) and photograph the menu line where it’s listed.
* Nostalgia is being flagged as a major UK food trend this week, and classic café drinks are one of the most visible everyday examples.
How to Play
These tasks are designed for BucketRace, the UK's favourite scavenger hunt platform. You can play solo or in teams, and each task is meant to be completed in the real world. Snap a photo as proof, share it with your group, and see who can complete the most.
New tasks are published every week based on what is actually happening in the UK, so no two weeks are ever the same. Follow us for next week's challenges.