Gen Z drives trips to independent shops after finding them on TikTok and Instagram

# What happened Gen Z shoppers are converting social media discovery into real trips to the High Street. American Express research and a Retail Economics finding show that short-form content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram is prompting young people to visit small, independent shops in person—sometimes travelling as long as 95 minutes to get there.

# The hard numbers

• 80% of Gen Z respondents said they had visited an independent shop after finding it on social media.
• 62% actively search for businesses on social platforms before visiting.
• 58% said social discovery led them to a firm they would not otherwise have found.
• Most of these visits happen within a week of first seeing the business online.
• One in five Gen Z shoppers plan a day out specifically around visiting a business they discovered on social media.
• Retail Economics estimates independent businesses captured half of Gen Z's social-influenced High Street spending.

# Real-world examples

# What this means for retailers

# Practical steps for small businesses

• Maintain active, discoverable profiles on TikTok and Instagram. Short, sharable clips that show product, atmosphere, or a clear hook work best for rapid spread.

• Encourage user content: ask customers to tag the shop, use a branded hashtag, or post photos/videos in exchange for small incentives.
• Prepare for day-trip visits: if one in five visitors plans a full-day outing around a shop, think about queuing, quick transactions, and ways to increase dwell time and secondary spend.

# Wider implications If social-driven visits remain regular, they could shift some consumer spending back to physical retail, particularly for independents that can capture viral attention. Local and national policy moves aimed at regenerating high streets may intersect with this trend by supporting businesses that can convert online attention into in-person spending.

# Bottom line Short-form social discovery is producing measurable footfall for small independent shops among Gen Z. The effect is immediate—many visits occur within a week of first seeing a business—and substantial enough that independents are claiming a significant share of social-influenced High Street spending.