The best April Fools' Day pranks 2026 from Dyson to Subway

April Fool’s Day 2026 is here, which means brands are once again rolling out their weirdest, wildest and occasionally believable PR stunts in a bid to win the internet.

Marked every year on 1 April, the tradition dates back centuries, with many theories surrounding it and confirmed origins unclear. Roots are often linked to calendar changes in 16th-century Europe that left some people celebrating the new year on the 'wrong' date – and becoming the butt of jokes.

Fast forward to today, and April Fool’s Day has become a major moment in the marketing calendar, as companies compete to create the funniest, most viral (and sometimes most convincing) pranks.

From absurd product launches to surprisingly plausible innovations, here are the best April Fool’s Day stunts of 2026.

IKEA X Chupa Chups

Say hello to the Meatball Lollipop: IKEA’s 'world-first' collab that turns the classic Swedish meatball into a stick-based snack, finished with a tangy lingonberry twist.

No assembly required – just pure, slightly confusing flavour for the brave, the curious, or anyone who really, really loves Swedish candy.

IKEA

Babybel x Monty Bojangles

Joining the chocuterie craze, Choccybel is Babybel’s latest stunt: their classic peelable cheese… now encased in a cocoa-dusted chocolate truffle shell. D

reamt up with award-winning UK sweet makers Monty Bojangles, it’s a mashup that’s part snack, part dessert, and 100% guaranteed to make you do a double take.

Babybel

DASH X KitKat

Healthy drinks brand DASH has 'partnered' with everyone’s favourite snack for a new cherry‑chocolate flavour. Totally unrelated to the recent Kit Kat heist, but we can’t promise your taste buds won’t be a little suspicious.

DASH

Dyson

Dyson has 'entered' the pet grooming industry with the launch of its Beauty Pet Range – because apparently your dog now needs a blow-dry too.

The spoof lineup applies the brand’s signature hair tech to furry companions, promising high-performance styling for pets of all shapes and fluff levels.

Dyson

Lush

Lush is leaning fully into the chaos with a 24-product April Fool’s 'collection'. The range includes everything from insect-shaped soaps to 'grub' shower gummies and slime-inspired washes.

Lush

Alterego X Bottle Up

As everyone’s favourite products get 'protein-ified,' Alterego decided to take it… a bit too far. Enter Wheyter: a fictional protein water that’s basically cottage cheese in liquid form.

Pitching it as a sustainable, protein-packed breakthrough, Wheyter teeters on the edge of believable – just enough to make you do a double-take before you realise it’s a classic April Fools’ prank.

Alterego

Ann Summers

Ann Summers is putting a very... personal spin on the resale trend.

Meet ‘We Buy Any Dildo’, a mock platform where Brits can 'trade in' their toys for a playful valuation.

Users can enter the toy type and even log ‘hours used’, before receiving a completely fictional quote to 'turn your buzz into bucks'.

Complete with a fully branded website and step-by-step guide, the stunt riffs on the UK’s resale obsession – just with a saucy Ann Summers twist.

Ann Summers

Aldi

Aldi is swapping trolleys for legal advice with LEGALDI, a hotline (0800 292 2535) for anyone who’s suffered an 'Aldi-dent' that wasn’t their fault.

From being accused of copying to getting caught with an Aldi bag in a rival store, LEGALDI is on hand to serve justice… and maybe a side of frozen pizza.

Nonni X Carmen Electrolyte

Meet Carmen Electrolyte, the newest 'hire' at Nonni, responsible for making sure hydration is taken very seriously. Her mission? Keep bubbles sparkling, desks perfectly watered, and ensure no office plant gets more TLC than the team.

Nonni

The Gym Kitchen

The Gym Kitchen is taking on the beauty giants with a high-protein moisturiser no one asked for (but everyone will talk about).

The joke product claims to deliver 30g of protein per pump, alongside collagen amino acids absorbed straight through the skin.

The Gym Kitchen

Slim Chickens

Slim Chickens has teamed up with Victorian Plumbing for what might be the most unhinged collab of the day. The concept: a bath with a built-in sauce tap that dispenses their signature Slims Sauce straight into the tub.

Slim Chickens

Gousto

Gousto is calling out the nation’s 'fake from-scratch' cooks with the launch of a brutally honest new app.

Named Stova, it supposedly tracks your real-time kitchen effort, from chopping speed to stirring consistency, and turns it into shareable stats.

Gousto

TALA

TALA has 'announced' a bold rebrand – changing its name to TATAs. The activewear brand is leaning into the viral appeal of its sculpting tops and 'free-boob-job' designs.

TALA

Subway

Subway is getting into marathon prep with a new range of energy gels inspired by its sauces. Dubbed Sub-Gels, the limited-edition products promise the quick-hit carbs runners need, without ditching those familiar flavours.

Subway

Warburtons X Only Curls

Turns out, a lot of us still believe the age-old saying: eat your crusts, and your hair will curl. Warburtons is leaning into the myth with Crust & Curl Defining Gel, made in collaboration with haircare brand Only Curls.

Warburtons

Dr Will's X Gü

Dr Will’s and Gü have teamed up for a dessert that genuinely sounds like it could exist — until you hear the twist. The rich chocolate pudding features a molten centre made from Sriracha hot sauce instead of the usual gooey filling.

Dr Will's X Gü

JusRol

JusRol is stepping into skincare with a product straight out of the pastry aisle. The 'dePUFF' sheet mask promises buttery smooth skin and a very specific side effect: the sudden urge to host brunch.

JusRol

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