The Ordinary opens fake grocery store – puts $175 banana on sale
The Ordinary has opened a series of fake grocery stores to challenge inflated beauty pricing with a campaign built around wildly overpriced everyday products.
Called The Markup Marché, the activation sees the brand turn bananas, coconuts, avocados and toilet paper into premium-priced “wellness” items, complete with elevated product names and luxury-style packaging.
A banana becomes an “All-Natural Magical Energy-Boosting Bar” priced at $175.90, while a coconut is sold as an “Exotic Thirst Defying Hydration Vessel” for $195.50.
The fabricated stores appeared in six cities, including Toronto, London, Sao Paulo and Melbourne, bringing The Ordinary’s long-running message about ingredient transparency and fair pricing into a physical retail setting.
The campaign takes aim at a culture where simple products can command huge markups when wrapped in glossy language, premium design and lifestyle promises.
By borrowing the codes of high-end grocery stores and beauty marketing, The Ordinary makes its point with humour rather than a lecture.
Since launching in 2016, The Ordinary has built a loyal following by offering straightforward skincare at accessible prices.
