Has anyone else noticed a certain vegan cheese making regular appearances on Coronation Street?
Read more below.
Coronation Street is not just one of the UK’s most watched television programmes. It is a genuine cultural institution. First broadcast in 1960, the soap has been entertaining viewers for more than six decades and remains a staple of British television. Millions of people have followed the lives of the Weatherfield residents over the years, with some locations becoming just as famous as the characters themselves.
One of those iconic locations is the local corner shop.
The shop has changed ownership and names countless times throughout the history of the programme, but these days it is known as D&A&A Alahan’s Corner Shop. It continues to be one of the central settings for the drama and gossip that keeps Coronation Street ticking along.
Over the past few episodes I’ve found myself repeatedly distracted by something in the shop’s chilled section.
Sheese.
Yes, the vegan cheese brand.
I’ve spotted a pack of Sheese sitting prominently in the fridge behind the characters on several occasions. Not tucked away in the background where only eagle-eyed viewers would notice them, but often positioned almost perfectly in the centre of the shot between two characters having a conversation. Once you notice it, it’s difficult not to keep spotting it.
Now, I have absolutely no idea if this is paid product placement, a deliberate decision by the production team, or simply a happy coincidence. However, the frequency of the appearances and the way the products seem to be positioned so prominently certainly makes me wonder if there is more to it than chance.
Whatever the explanation, it is fascinating to see a vegan product featured so visibly in one of the country’s biggest television programmes. Coronation Street reaches an enormous audience and having plant-based food presented as just another everyday grocery item feels like a positive step, whether intentional or otherwise.
I’d genuinely love to know more about how products like Sheese end up featured so significantly on Coronation Street. If anyone reading this has any insight into how these decisions are made, or whether brands actively work with television productions in this way, I’d be fascinated to hear from you.
In the meantime, I’ll keep one eye on the Weatherfield drama and the other on the chiller case!
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