ERLING Haaland has not only stolen the spotlight with his stellar performances for Norway at the World Cup, but the Manchester City striker’s influence has also sparked an extraordinary phenomenon as carrot sales in his homeland have surged.
Haaland’s popularity soared to new heights throughout the tournament, with his unique personality and sharpness in front of goal making him one of the most talked-about players amongst football fans worldwide.
On the pitch, Haaland helped Norway reach the World Cup quarter-finals after netting seven goals in six matches before their run was ended by England.
However, his influence was not confined to the pitch; his lifestyle, which includes meditation and his candid social media presence also captivated new fans.
Indeed, Haaland emerged as one of the most viral players during the tournament, with his Instagram follower count jumping from 40 million to 60 million.
In Norway, the ‘Haaland Effect’ is reported to be gathering pace, with locals now said to be developing a growing taste for carrots, which happen to be a favourite snack of the 26-year-old star.
According to reports, carrot sales in Norway have risen by around 25 per cent over recent weeks, an increase linked to a promotional campaign featuring Haaland.
The player had previously been filmed on several occasions eating carrots while signing autographs, alongside starring in promotional campaigns for the vegetable.
Throughout the World Cup, Haaland also appeared in adverts across Norwegian television channels as part of a campaign for the vegetable wholesaler Bama.
In the advert, Haaland drives a lorry whilst enjoying a carrot and asking for more of the vegetable.
Norwegian nutrition adviser Iselin Sagen noted that the rise in carrot sales became noticeable in July and continued to record impressive figures in August.
“Sales went up in July and we have never seen records like this before. Sales were also very strong in August.
“In July, two things happened simultaneously. We ran a major campaign featuring Haaland before every match. He drives a lorry, eats carrots, and asks for more carrots.
“At the same time, supermarkets were running promotions on carrots throughout the summer.
“I cannot definitively prove that the increase was caused by Haaland, but he is a huge idol in Norway and was right at the centre of the campaign,” she said.
This is not the first time Haaland’s dietary habits have attracted attention; the player previously revealed he consumes around 6,000 calories a day, incorporating foods such as liver, heart, and a kebab pizza as a cheat meal.
According to Sagen, Haaland’s love for carrots may well be influenced by his background growing up in Bryne, a small area renowned for its farmlands.
“I truly believe Erling Haaland loves Norwegian vegetables. He grew up in an area with many farmers in Bryne, a small town in the Rogaland district,” she said.
Sagen also explained that carrots are already among the most popular vegetables in Norwegian society.
However, she noted that sales of carrots sold with their green tops still attached were previously rather low before the campaign featuring Haaland was launched.
“Carrots are among the most consumed vegetables in Norway.
“However, we noticed that sales of carrots with their tops attached were quite low prior to this campaign.
“In July 2026, roughly 600 tonnes more carrots were sold compared to the same period in 2025. That amount equals about one or two extra carrots for every resident, given Norway has a population of around 5.5 million,” she added.