A Recipe on TikTok is Responsible for Causing Cucumber Scarcity in Iceland. Social media is littered with viral trends, but could anyone have ever thought that a simple TikTok recipe would result in a cucumber shortage in any country?
Yes, it has happened. Iceland has seen a high demand for cucumbers in Europe due to a viral TikTok recipe making them scarce in local markets.
The tale began with Logan Moffitt, one of the Tiktok users, creating and posting a video about eating cucumber salad. Ever since the video went viral, Icelandic farmers have been unable to cope with the sudden increase in this vegetable.
Horticulturists Sales Company and Farmers’ Representative in Iceland is one company that represents these farms. The person said, “We cannot meet the market hurdle we are experiencing right now.” They also highlighted how other ingredients used in making TikTok recipes have also begun experiencing increased demand.
“This has never happened before,” the spokesperson said. “During peak times of cucumber cultivation a few months ago, it would have had no effect.”
The residents of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city, have also noticed this shortage. They claim that cucumbers have virtually vanished from local markets, surprising many.
“This isn’t something that happens in Iceland,” one resident said. “You can always get cucumbers here, but now there is nowhere to be found.”
But then again, the viral TikTok video has not only caused shortages within the cucumbers’ supply chain but also heightened viewers’ risks. Many people who attempted to imitate the slicing technique exhibited in the video injured themselves.
This unusual situation demonstrates how social media trends can unexpectedly affect real-world markets and consumer behaviour. One viral video disrupted cucumber supplies in Iceland, posed challenges for local farmers, and even injured audiences. In some instances, social media influence escapes from the online world to affect everyday life in unforeseen ways.
