This is by no means the only ‘vintage’ crisp listing on eBay, and nor is it the only one to exhibit apparent insanity or wishful thinking, possibly both. At the time of writing you can also bid for a packet of limited edition chilli and chocolate Walkers crisps (expiry date 23.05.09) for £500.

But what is madder, £500 on a packet of crisps that cannot be eaten, or a lifetime of crisps that adds up to thousands of pounds, and counting? I had a similar reckoning when I left London and realised I had spent a lot of money at Pret a Manger. Had it been worth it? I wondered. Yes, I eventually decided, and yes for my crisp thousands too. The money spent accrues, but the comfort of a good lunch or a quick crisp does not; it has to be reset each time, in step with the body’s daily resetting of hunger. Each lunch, and every crisp, has some new bond to make.

Crunch by Natalie Whittle (Faber & Faber), £18.99 is available to buy now.

From crisp packet clutches to bags of Walkers selling on eBay for £250 – here’s how Britain became obsessed with the humble crisp