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What happens when virality reshapes supply chains? We’re halfway through what may be the most indulgent chocolate-pistachio-knafeh bar known to mankind, and we’re asking ourselves something that sounds ridiculous until it isn’t: What’s next? Pistachio inflation? Apparently, yes. Because when TikTok goes nuts for chocolate, the ripple effects are no longer limited to phone screens and dessert cravings. They spill into agriculture, global trade, and pricing. And pistachios, once quietly shelved beside almonds and cashews,  have suddenly taken centre stage. The (delicious) culprit It started with a dessert. A rich, gooey, utterly indulgent creation by Emirati chocolatier FIX called “Can’t Get Knafeh of It.” A smart and delicious homage to knafeh, a beloved Middle Eastern dessert, reimagined as a bar: milk chocolate, pistachio cream, and crispy kataifi pastry woven with precision. For two years, it quietly earned a cult following in the UAE, the kind that lines up early, whispers about restocks, and posts reverently online. Then came a TikTok in December 2023. A 20-second video featuring the bar’s flawless snap, creamy swirl, and golden crunch went viral, 120 million views later, the world had a new craving. But this time, it wasn’t just views that followed. It was volume. When cravings turn into commodity chaos The ripple effects were immediate and unexpected. In just a few months, pistachio prices surged from $16.87/kg to $22.68/kg by April 2025, a 35% increase year-over-year. A nut, once humble, has now found itself in the middle of a global supply crunch. So, what drove this sudden inflation? Low harvest volumes in the U.S., the world’s largest pistachio producer A shift in demand toward whole pistachios has reduced the availability of the kernels used in desserts And, of course, the viral demand that squeezed global inventories Iran is also feeling the heat Iran, the second-largest pistachio exporter, has been scrambling to keep up. In just six months, it exported 40% more pistachios to the UAE than it did in the entire previous year. And still, the shelves couldn’t stay full. Retailers began rationing supplies, invoking memories of pandemic-era rationing, only this time, it’s not hand sanitisers or toilet paper; it’s pistachio bars. Now everyone wants a bite This isn’t just about one dessert anymore. It’s a full-blown trend. In the UK, Lindt introduced a pistachio bar that retails at £10 for 145g – double the price of its traditional bars. Swiss luxury chocolatier Läderach, British supermarket Morrisons, and heritage confectioners like Prestat have all rushed to meet demand. Pistachio-filled Easter eggs flooded shelves in spring 2025. And FIX? They’re selling for just two hours a day. Each batch is a sell-out. Scarcity has become part of the brand. What we’re witnessing is an old luxury rebranded as a new obsession, not unlike saffron, caviar, or truffles before it. Only this time, the hype came not from chefs, but from TikTok. Social media at its best What started as a niche Middle Eastern dessert has now shaped U.S. farming, Iranian export volumes, and global nut pricing. It’s the ultimate case study in what happens when social media meets scarcity, and when virality fuels value. One TikTok. One dessert. One craving. And the world’s pistachio economy bent just a little in response. And as we finish this article (and what’s left of the bar), we have only one thing to say: Wow. We really can’t get ‘knafeh’ of it. And judging by the global numbers, neither can anyone else. FAQs 1. What is Sav? Sav is a money-management app, allowing you to stick to your money goals, plan for the future, and spend confidently in the present.Your Sav card helps you meet your goals – just connect your bank account, top up your Sav card, choose goals you would like to set aside money for, and apply rules that automatically allocate funds toward your goals. The money set aside for your goals is safe. It is always available on your prepaid card and held with our partner financial institutions licensed by the CB UAE.You can use your Sav card to get additional rewards and cashbacks while spending. Check out our offer page to find the latest deals and promotions. 2. Is Sav a bank? No, ‘Sav Technologies Limited’ is a technology company registered in the Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai, UAE, with registration number # 5474. Through our banking partnership with Mashreq Bank, VISA and NymCard, we provide VISA prepaid cards. 3. Does Sav issue bank accounts? No, Sav does not issue any bank accounts. Instead, Sav offers prepaid Visa cards issued by our partner bank, Mashreq Bank PSC, pursuant to their license from Visa. The money in your savings goals is always held with our partner bank in your individual Sav Card.  4. How is my Mashreq account different to the Sav account? At Sav, we do not issue any bank account. It’s a prepaid Visa card. Share article Instagram Linkedin Facebook-square Twitter-square

Regulating Social Media for Kids: Ban or Better Solutions? Regulating new technology is often a reactive process. There tends to not be enough data about the effects of new technology and so it can be difficult for regulators to predict or understand how to regulate the new technology (Kaal). For instance, the first social media platform was launched in 1977 (sciencepod). Plus, social media only started to gain popularity in the early 2000s and so it is still a relatively new technology. Moreover, the way generations interact and use technology is adapting over the years and so we are still developing the role social media plays in our lives. Hence, as the law is constantly developing to reflect our current understanding and beliefs, this also extends to how the law treats social media which has resulted in the thought that underage use of social media should be banned. Reasons Behind Banning As I mentioned, social media is relatively new and so there is limited research on its long-term effects. However, there are multiple studies that show links between heavy social media use and increased risk for for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm and suicidal thoughts (Robinson and Smith). Therefore, while we may not have extensive research on its long-term effects, it would not be far-fetched to imagine that it is not ideal. Children are the future of our society and there is an urge to protect them as they can be vulnerable due to their age. Those that are older, including parents and regulators, will likely feel an obligation to protect children. This may seem paternalistic, but within this particular relationship of children and adults, I believe there is a responsibility on those older to take certain measures to protect children. In this situation, I think this can be considered a case of liberal paternalism using Mill’s example of the bridge- that if a child had all the information surrounding the topic that they would choose not to use social media. On the other hand, that may be overly simplistic as many adults know the harmful effects of social media but still choose to use it. Hence, why would we presume to remove that autonomy from children? I think that this comes down to the fact that we believe adults are able to make those decisions and have the right to act in a harmful way towards themselves. Children are restricted from a multitude of things: for things like alcohol and nicotine it is because it is more harmful when you are young, and for others it is a matter of competency. Society tends not to believe that children are competent enough to make those decisions and so till they are able to do so, those older make those decisions for them. Effect of Banning Social Media Banning social media is not just a hypothetical discussion. The Australian government has recently banned social media for those under 16 (Ritchie 2024b). This has naturally created debate because, like most things, social media is multi-faceted; it has its benefits through allowing people to connect with those they care about globally, access communities, express themselves etc. As a result, they are those who are concerned that banning social media will lead children to use less regulated platforms (Ritchie 2024b). Social media will also still exist in other countries and so children are likely to turn to other platforms in order to continue engaging in that sphere. Social media is extremely prevalent and I think most children will look for replacements or access it illegally. And so, if children are going to illegally access social media, should it still be banned? I think it reduces the effectiveness as I believe the aim of the ban is to protect children and if it simply leads them to unregulated platforms then it may defeat the point. However, the Australian Prime Minister acknowledges that while the ban may not be implemented perfectly, having the ban is the right thing to do (Ritchie 2024b). Hence, the ban is operating as a symbol and, as the aim is to represent the view that social media should be banned, it likely comes as a moot point that it may not be effective.   Banning vs Regulating Commissioner Grant is organizing the implementation and enforcement of the Australian ban, but she would rather focus on investing in educating children and having cleaner platforms. Moreover, over 100 Australian academics think the ban is “too blunt” and that it does not assist children in having safe access to digital environments. The Australian government has acknowledged this and says it will eventually implement “digital duty of care laws” (Ritchie 2024a). This reflects how a ban is not the whole solution in how to respond to social media. The UK is also planning on introducing tougher regulation on underage use of social media and this has caused social media companies to adopt strategies to protect children. TikTok will restrict the use of their beauty filters over concerns on its effect on self-esteem, Roblox is going to prevent their younger users from accessing more violent and crude content over warnings of child grooming, and Instagram is introducing teen accounts which will give parents greater control (Booth). These strategies may be more effective at controlling how children access social media than a straight ban. For example, while France blocked access to social media for those under 15 without parental consent, research shows that almost half of users used VPN to get around it (Ritchie 2024a). Therefore, working with social platforms to regulate may prove more effective in protecting children. As a result, I think that even if a ban is used that it should not be the whole solution. I find the strategies employed by the social platforms above to be interesting, and I think that governments and social media platforms should work together when devising these strategies as it could create novel, effective solutions. FAQs 1. What is Sav? Sav is a money-management app, allowing you …

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