Culturally significant or common household names always found a way into literature but it is the first time I find two mentions of brands so blatantly placed that the only conclusion I'm led to reach is of paid product placement.

The book in question is "The House in the Woods", by Mark Dawson. In the very first few paragraphs there is a mention to Hello Fresh, with a not so subtle description of the service, along with an admission of a character on how the instructions to prepare a meal are so simple even they can follow it, and a mention to Spotify. Deeper into the book I've already noticed a mention of Nescafé instant coffee.

None of these mentioned brands needed to be there. The writer seems proficient enough to be able to write without resorting to such name placements. The story telling is fluid, with a smooth but dense tone to it, which is something I enjoy in crime/drama/mistery novels.

Has this been a thing for a long time and only now I'm noticing the elephant in the room or is this a rising trend?

Everyone needs and deserves to make a living but not like this.