Around 60 percent of people are more inclined to sample unfamiliar flavours while travelling internationally compared to doing so locally.
Research involving 2,000 adults revealed that 39 percent take pleasure in trying crisp varieties unavailable in Britain, while 27 percent view overseas trips as an opportunity to broaden their culinary experiences.
Approximately 26 percent consider discovering quirky or surprising flavours an entertaining aspect of visiting new places, and 29 percent are even drawn to varieties whose names they cannot decipher.
Paprika, pesto and ham rank among the sought-after flavours, with ham frequently appearing as jamón on packaging.
Some holidaymakers also enjoy munching on cheese and chilli, teriyaki or spicy lobster varieties while soaking up the sun.
Three in ten individuals believe the savoury snack tastes superior overseas, citing reasons including exposure to novel flavours at 57 percent, feeling more at ease at 49 percent, and the sunnier climate at 48 percent.
Almost a third confessed to feeling unusually enthusiastic when browsing supermarkets in foreign destinations, with 12 percent stating that uncovering new crisp varieties represents their favourite aspect of travelling abroad.
The study was commissioned by loveholidays and identified Spain, Italy and France as possessing the finest crisp selections across Europe.
The online travel company has opened a Crisps From Abroad experience in Peter Street, Soho, inviting members of the public and a self-styled crisp superfan to identify popular overseas crisp varieties through a blind tasting challenge.
Al Murray, the chief marketing officer at loveholidays, commented that everyone has at least one crisp variety they cannot stop raving about following a holiday. He explained that it is the one they filled their luggage with, searched for online and wished they could purchase back home. The company created Crisps From Abroad to bring some of those iconic varieties together in one location and invite people to test their taste buds. From beloved classics to flavours people may never have encountered previously, this pop-up is dedicated to reviving favourite holiday moments and uncovering new tastes. The company anticipates it will generate considerable discussion about which destination produces the best crisps.
The research, conducted through OnePoll.com, also revealed that 22 percent of travellers enjoy their first packet of crisps on the first day of their trip, and 29 percent typically consume more while away than they would at home.
Other favoured occasions for eating the snack include at the airport at 29 percent, during sunbathing at 26 percent and on nights out at 16 percent.
More than two thirds at 70 percent have previously returned home with food from an international trip, including crisps at 25 percent, making the Crisps From Abroad pop-up an ideal opportunity to reconnect with holiday favourites without the flight.
Perhaps the nation’s most devoted crisp enthusiast is Joe Manning, a 27-year-old sports shop manager from Littleport, Cambridgeshire, who operates online under the name the Crisp Connoisseur.
He remembers childhood holidays with his family eating Jambon Lays crisps, frequently packing them in his suitcase to bring back, and has now participated in a blind taste test at loveholidays’ temporary shop to determine how many varieties he can accurately identify.
The international crisp experience showcases over 4,600 packets and 68 different flavours sourced from 19 countries.
When Joe travels internationally, he purchases supplies of crisps from local shops that cannot be found in Britain.
His preferred choices include bacon-flavoured Ruffles and rib Doritos.
Joe Manning explained that whenever he is on holiday, his first stop is always a local supermarket to buy plenty of crisps. Lays are consistently a winning choice, with even the plain salted version outperforming salted crisps available domestically, and herb-flavoured varieties such as oregano are also highly popular.
Speaking about his TikTok account, he mentioned that he believed it would be quite informative and help people discover which varieties to look out for. It has developed into a small community, with people messaging him to ask whether he has tried certain flavours, and even individuals from America sharing that particular varieties are superior in their country.