TikTok’s dominant influence on young people’s food choices is monumental. These viral food trends keep on coming; from Gigi Hadid’s vodka pasta to Dubai chocolate and ‘girl dinner’.

According to TikTok, 49% of users have taken action after seeing supermarket or grocery content on the platform, an expansion of its perception as purely featuring dance trends and memes. Tiktok is now a major trend setter in the food world. From viral recipes to ingredient shortages, TikTok’s influence is reshaping what lands in our shopping baskets and how supermarkets stock their shelves. 

Welcome to the era where social media trends decide what’s for dinner, and supermarkets are racing to keep up. 

However, retailers who lack the right technology in place, risk falling behind.

Remember the baked feta pasta craze? Overnight, this simple recipe sparked a global surge in feta cheese and cherry tomato sales. TikTok’s power lies in its ability to turn everyday ingredients into must-haves, with people racing to the shops desperate to try these trending recipes. Millions of users test and share recipes on TikTok, all it takes is one recipe video to blow up, causing a viral sensation that ripples through grocery aisles worldwide. 

How can supermarkets keep up with these sudden spikes in demand without overstocking once the trend fades? Overproduction not only leads to profit losses, but also contributes to food waste. Balancing rapid response with sustainability has become a critical challenge for retailers navigating the fast-moving world of social media-driven food trends, and this is where real time technology comes into play.

Now that TikTok is becoming a direct shopping channel with TikTok Shop, users can also buy ingredients and products featured in videos without leaving the app, blurring the lines between entertainment and commerce. This trend-driven shopping behaviour means consumers are making more impulse buys and exploring new brands. They trust creator recommendations and viral trends over traditional advertising, forcing supermarkets to rethink how they engage with customers. 

If supermarkets can learn how to secure viral food trends, successfully market themselves on the app, and even sell their products too, their competitive advantage will sky rocket. 

How real time tech can lead the way to supermarket success

It’s easy to overcommit to a product tied to a short-lived craze, leading to surplus stock, markdowns, and lost profits. Supply chains need to respond quickly to the unpredictable demand driven by viral food trends. Real time data technology can provide instant visibility into inventory levels and shipment locations, supermarkets can track products across thousands of locations and quickly address any delays or disruptions, as well as rises in demand. This immediate insight enables faster responses to sudden spikes in demand, often triggered by social media trends, allowing retailers to accelerate ordering, production, and distribution to restock shelves promptly, bringing benefits to each end of the supply chain.

How are UK supermarkets adapting?

UK supermarkets are no strangers to this consumer shift. Giants like Waitrose, Lidl, Aldi, and M&S are adapting by launching products inspired directly by TikTok trends. Lidl, for instance, has embraced TikTok Shop, selling grocery bundles that sell out rapidly thanks to viral buzz, they also quickly produce dupes of trending products such as the Dubai chocolate. 

Supermarkets are also integrating TikTok content into their marketing strategies, encouraging staff to create authentic videos that resonate with younger shoppers. This strategy enables supermarkets to engage directly with Gen Z and Millennials, who increasingly turn to social media for food inspiration, whether it’s high protein meals, budget-friendly recipes, or indulgent sweet treats. 

Take M&S, for example. Once known primarily as a destination for older shoppers and parents buying school uniforms, it has successfully reinvented itself by leveraging TikTok marketing. Their triple chocolate chip cookies, white strawberries, and giant chocolate bars have all recently gone viral, driving a significant surge in demand, illustrating the power of these trends.

The importance of flexible adaptable supply chains

While TikTok trends offer exciting opportunities, they also present challenges. Supermarkets must quickly differentiate between fleeting fads and sustainable product lines. Viral food crazes can emerge and disappear within weeks, driven by the fast-moving nature of social media, making it difficult for retailers to predict which products will maintain consumer demand beyond the initial hype. 

To succeed in this environment, supermarkets must develop exceptional agility in both product development and supply chain management. This means shortening the time from trend identification to product launch, enabling stores to capitalise on viral moments while they’re still relevant. However, speed alone isn’t enough. Retailers need flexible supply chains that can scale production up or down quickly without incurring excessive costs or inventory waste.

Supermarkets must leverage the buzz of TikTok trends to attract customers while building a resilient product portfolio that supports sustained growth. The world of TikTok food trends is ever-evolving  and we don’t know what crazy trend is coming next. While we can’t predict exactly what the next viral sensation will be, one thing is clear; social media will continue to play a powerful role in shaping what ends up on our plates and supermarket shelves.