In late 1700s Britain, the pineapple was the Bugatti of fruits; largely decorative and available only to the very wealthy. Imported at great expense from the colonies, the pineapple became a symbol of prestige and power, turning up in art and architecture across the Empire. Paradoxically, the popularity of the pineapple would be its undoing. As, imports increased, prices dropped and, when everyone could afford pineapples, no one wanted them anymore.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-53432877