Nutty news spread about knives in Nutella

A viral TikTok video uploaded in April 2020 has convinced social media users around the world that a small plastic knife is concealed within lids of Nutella jars. It has sparked a wave of videos showing people's fruitless attempts to find the hidden knife, as seen here, here, here, here, here and here. However, the claim continues to circulate on social media, with a May 10 repost of the 26-second video on a food lovers Facebook page gaining more than seven million views at the time of writing. But the claim is false. Ferrero Australia, which owns the Nutella brand, told AAP FactCheck that jars of the famous hazelnut chocolate spread do not contain a "secret knife". Other TikToks from the video's creator, an Australian user called Crunchynut84, show the claim was a prank and wasn't intended to be taken seriously. His original video has been viewed, copied and shared millions of times on multiple social media platforms including Facebook (here and here), Instagram (here, here and here), Twitter and Reddit. In the video, he unscrews the lid of a one-kilogram jar of Nutella, telling viewers: "I'm not sure if you know about this, but when you buy a brand new Nutella, open it up, flip the lid over, there's actually two linings in here." He then uses a metal butter knife to pry out a cardboard disc inside the lid. He continues: "There's a white lining and a silver lining in here, and then when you open up the silver lining, there should be a little knife to open the Nutella." After setting aside the butter knife, he uses the secret knife to puncture the golden foil seal on the jar. Ferrero Australia said the video's claim is fiction, but isn't taking the viral falsehood too seriously. "Some sharp people have pointed out that Nutella jars might contain a 'secret knife'," a Ferrero Australia representative told AAP FactCheck in an email. "We want to cut through the confusion and spread the word, these rumours aren't true!" Other content from Crunchynut84 shows the video was created as a joke. In another TikTok, posted within a month of the original, he reflects on the virality of his Nutella video, writing that he "didnt think people would believe it". In the comments section of another version of the same TikTok, a user points out the futility of concealing a knife in a place where another knife is required to access it. Crunchynut84 responded: "That's what the joke is about". Similar comments are made on the video across other social media platforms, but it's unclear if people are in on the joke. The secret knife has become a running joke on Crunchynut84's account. In one video, he plants a small plastic knife inside the lid of a Nutella jar in what appears to be a supermarket.

The Verdict

The claim Nutella jars contain a hidden knife in the lid is false. Brand owner Ferrero Australia said no knives are hidden in jars of its sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread. The creator of the viral TikTok video in which the claim was originally made said it was intended to be a joke. * AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.