TikTok has been the place that young consumers discover food trends for a number of years now. Back in 2020, the platform helped mochi ice cream ball Little Moons take off, and made whipped coffee and baked feta pasta become the must-make dishes.

The viral trends keep on coming, with supermarkets increasingly getting involved in the action on TikTok.

According to the platform, 49% of users have taken action after seeing supermarket or grocery content on TikTok, while 36% have followed a new recipe, 30% visited the supermarket in person, and 24% went on to buy a product from the supermarket.

Grocery Gazette explores how viral food trends are helping younger shoppers connect with certain supermarkets and how UK grocers are tapping into this.

How are TikTok food trends impacting the grocery sector?

TikTok UK head of multicategory retail sales Sonia Gleeson says that experimentation and innovation, especially in food content, is now “the norm”.

“Supermarkets find a welcoming community looking to showcase new culinary ideas to their audience, often resulting in viral recipes – such as the recent cucumber salad videos that reach millions of people.”

The cucumber salad Gleeson refers to was one of the biggest trends to sweep the platform this year, with content creator Logan (@logagm)’s original video having amounted to 15.3m views at the time of writing, with a further million posts having been made with the hashtag #cucumbersalad.

@logagmBest way to eat an entire cucumber♬ original sound – Logan

The trend made such a large impact online that supermarkets in Iceland ran out of cucumbers as producers were unable to keep up with the high demand.

In the UK, Morrisons and Aldi were quick to hop on the trend, with the grocers’ TikTok accounts showcasing their takes on the popular recipe.

Many other retailers have experimented with a range of other food trends from healthy, pre-prepared salad bowls to the viral watermelon sandwich.

Other retailers have seen their own products go viral on the app.

M&S is one of the supermarkets that gets a lot of TikTok attention, with products including its bueno iced lattes and Caesar dip to its £6.50 ‘Big Daddy’ chocolate bar – which TikTok users claimed was a take on another social sensation, the Dubai pistachio chocolate bar – all going viral on the platform.

Broadcaster and consumer expert, The Customer Whisperer, Kate Hardcastle MBE says: “M&S has always been synonymous with quality, but recently it’s tapped into a more playful and indulgent side.

“Viral products like the Chicken Caesar dip succeed because they give people something a little unexpected, a little different—something that feels exclusive, yet accessible. TikTok thrives on that balance.

“The users of the platform enjoy discovering something they can share and rave about, and M&S products seem to provide that extra touch of delight that resonates with these social communities.”

Is TikTok the right space for supermarkets?

Hardcastle says that there’s “no question” that TikTok should be a marketing focus for supermarkets.

“The platform has an undeniable influence, especially when it comes to shaping food culture and trends,” she explains, adding that supermarkets that aren’t leveraging TikTok are “missing out on a massive opportunity to connect with an audience that’s highly engaged and ready to act”.

“The key is to avoid traditional, overly polished content and focus on authenticity—recipes, food hacks, and real-world usage often resonate far better than direct product ads.”

Gleeson adds that supermarkets have a real opportunity to engage with audiences on TikTok by introducing unexpected variety and flavour combinations, whether that be through recipes, food tours, food displays or creator experiments”.

However, she adds that the TikTok community is no longer “passively consuming content”.

“They often come with intention, searching for user recommendations on the platform whilst simultaneously sharing their own supermarket-related content.

“Supermarkets are getting in on the action too by empowering their staff to post authentic relatable content and using ad tools like ‘video shopping ads’, such as shoppable recipes to drive sales,” Gleeson adds.

How supermarkets are using TikTok

Tesco says that TikTok is helping it to engage with consumers and its follow count currently stands at almost 280,000.

Some of the ways that Tesco is tapping into TikTok trends is through “talkability” by focusing on customer interests such as Clubcard Prices and Meal Deals.

It also works closely with its brand team on new product development and will actively look at opportunities to talk about new and exciting products in different ways on TikTok, such as filming in-store content native to the platform.

The supermarket has also seen sales boosts in some products due to TikTok trends, such as a recent spike in sales of swede, following a viral cooking trend.

Aldi has the highest following of the UK supermarkets with almost 520,000 followers and has tapped into trends such as the cucumber salad recipe as well as US fast food chain Raising Cane’s viral sauce. Its content often features its Kevin the Carrot mascot for various skits.

@aldiuk Tripped and fell into the cheapest supermarket ???? ???? #aldiuk #FallingDownTheStairs ♬ whatcha say – EX7STENCE™

Hardcastle says that Aldi and Tesco are great examples of supermarkets that are performing particularly well on the platform.

“They’ve embraced a tone that feels genuinely relatable and fun — two ingredients crucial to TikTok’s success. It’s not about selling, it’s about entertaining, and these brands get that balance right.

“Whether it’s jumping on trending challenges or engaging with humour, they understand that TikTok audiences respond to brands that feel approachable and don’t take themselves too seriously.”

Meanwhile, Asda senior director of social transformation Annie Stevenson says that “TikTok is close to our hearts” and plays a pivotal role in connecting with its customers on social media.

“We’ve tested various creative formats to produce content that genuinely resonates with our existing audience and beyond,” she explains.

Asda’s TikTok channel now sits at more than 225k, while its clothing brand George has more than 100k followers.

Stevenson adds: “By sharing easy, budget-friendly recipes, jumping on trends, using our very own [older] ‘Nanfluencers’ and highlighting our newest products, we adapt our content on this platform to fit the fast-paced, trend-driven style.

“This all helps to keep Asda relevant and memorable, particularly as grocery shopping habits change among younger shoppers.”

“We have built the team in such a way that we always have our finger on the pulse of the latest trends and needs for a reactive response. TikTok is an excellent source of inspiration and ideal location to get involved in #foodtok hype in a really authentic way.”

How can TikTok trends translate to the shop floor?

While Hardcastle believes that TikTok has reshaped how younger consumers discover products, she notes: “The gap between seeing something online and purchasing it is shrinking rapidly, and grocery retailers need to recognise the opportunity to be a part of that immediate action. It’s no longer just about food—it’s about the experience, the novelty, and being ‘in the know.’”

Tesco has been hot on rolling out TikTok-inspired features in-store.

In May, the supermarket launched in-store salad creation bays inspired by TikTok healthy eating trends. This saw a fixture in the produce aisle which is divided into three sections to offer a base, a builder and a topper.

Hardcastle says it was a clever move by Tesco.

“It has recognised that young consumers want to feel seen, especially when their online world meets their real-world shopping experience. By bringing TikTok trends directly into stores, it has created a sense of immediacy that’s incredibly appealing.”

More recently, the retailer has created a special ‘High in Protein’ fixture in its dairy aisle specifically for yoghurt related products as the TikTok generation is driving huge demand for protein rich dairy food.

Tesco buying manager for yoghurts Hollie Bulmer says: “The trend is being driven by younger consumers and if you look on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram there’s a major trend for influencers posting videos of their culinary protein-packed creations and talking about these foods that offer specific nutritional benefits.

“And that trend is encouraging the new growing interest in protein yoghurts and dairy in general as well as influencing retailers like ourselves to stock more of these products.”

Hardcastle says that other supermarkets should “take note”.

“There’s real value in being able to offer ‘TikTok finds’ in-store, but it’s essential that it feels genuine to the brand, holds value for the consumer and is not just a gimmick.”

What’s next for supermarkets on TikTok?

There are a number of food trends expected to grow on the social platform over the next year.

Following growing interest in Filipino food with the hashtag ‘#FilipinoFood’ ranking ninth out of the top 10 international cuisines for TikTok users in the UK, the social media platform tells Grocery Gazette that it expects UK food retailers to tap into this, alongside “tupperware tech”, as users are increasingly sharing the ways that they prep and pack their snack boxes.

Surprisingly, the British jacket potato has also become a global craze, which TikTok expects could be a winner for supermarkets if they choose to hop on the trend.

The simple meal became one of the food stars of TikTok this year due to the likes of The Spud Bros (@thespudbrothers) siblings Jacob and Harley who became viral sensations for their famous baked potatoes in Preston, Lancashire. Customers have since travelled far and wide to their truck, including from the USA and Australia.

There are clearly plenty of opportunities ahead for retailers to tap into TikTok trends to win new shoppers, both Gen Z and beyond.

Stevenson says that Asda has “big plans for the platform in the coming months” and it will not be alone. Expect many supermarkets to ramp up their TikTok game to take advantage of this growing marketing channel.