From the Millennials’ social media detox to the over 50s podcast boom, these trends provide a detailed breakdown of how different demographics spend their time. The data also shows what the outlook is for various media formats, as well as for the biggest media brands.  

TV trends

Trend 1: TV viewing times continue descent

The downward trend in TV viewing continues: the percentage of consumers watching three or more hours of TV of any type per day stands at 56% in 2025, down from 61% last year, and 63% the year before. The most committed TV watchers are those aged 50-67, 66% of whom watch at least three hours a day – that’s compared to 52% of 18-30s and 50% of 31-49-year-olds. 

Live TV has borne the brunt of the slowdown, with 28% of consumers saying they generally don’t watch any on an average day (that’s up from 24% last year and 20% in 2023). This trend is driven by young consumers: a hefty 41% of under 30s typically don’t watch live TV (versus 27% of 31-49s and 20% of over 50s). Under 30s who do watch live TV are most likely to say they watch it for between 30 minutes to one hour per day. Meanwhile, their older counterparts typically watch for 1-2 hours. 

Viewing times for streaming services have also decreased, with a -4 point decline in people watching for three or more hours, and a corresponding increase in 1-2 hour viewing sessions. A third of consumers now stream TV for 1-2 hours per day. Under 30s watch the most, with one quarter typically viewing streamed TV for 1-2 hours and another quarter chalking up 3-4 hours per day. Only 8% of younger consumers typically don’t watch streaming services, but that increases to 27% for over 50s.   

Trend 2: Growth for Amazon Prime and Disney+

After suffering a -9 point decline in regular viewers last year, Netflix has only managed to regain a couple of percentage points. Today, 64% of consumers say they watch Netflix at least once a week. Amazon Prime and Disney+ have enjoyed the most growth, both increasing weekly viewers by +4 points. Sitting at 49%, Prime now enjoys its highest percentage of weekly viewers since we’ve been measuring, while Disney is yet to surpass its 2023 peak of 38% (currently at 35%). 

Other TV streamers remain more or less static, besides Max, which has recorded a -4 point loss to 25%. This compounds the previous year’s loss, when viewership fell from 33% to 29%.  Apple TV, meanwhile, continues to struggle to secure any meaningful US market share, watched weekly by just 12%.

Looking at the viewing profile of different streamers, 18-30-year-olds are the top viewers of Netflix (77%), Hulu (57%) and Disney+ (46%). Consumers aged 31-49 dominate Prime (55.5%), Paramount (31%), YouTube TV (19%) and Apple TV (13.5%). Meanwhile, Peacock, Apple TV and Sling have a fairly even age distribution. 

When it comes to what Americans are watching, crime dramas and procedurals are highly favored, with shows like “Reacher”, “NCIS”, and “Chicago Fire/PD” frequently cited.

Audio trends

Trend 3: Music streaming bounceback boosts Spotify

The percentage of Americans streaming music daily took an -8 point plunge last year, but it has bounced back by +6 points in 2025. A total of 42% of consumers listen to streamed music every day, while a further 21% listen multiple times a week. Meanwhile, the number of consumers who never stream music has declined from 19% to 15%.

Consumers aged 18-30 are the most dedicated music streamers, with 61% listening daily (compared with 46% of 31-49s and only 20% of over 50s). Nearly 29% of 50-67-year-olds say they don’t stream music at all – that’s versus just 5% of under 30s. 

Spotify and YouTube Music have been neck and neck in the race to become the nation’s top music streamer, but this year puts a bit of distance between them. Just over 39% of consumers regularly listen to Spotify, while 31% tune into YouTube Music (this represents a +3 point increase for Spotify and a -7 point fall for YouTube). 

Spotify is the clear favorite of young consumers, used by 56.5% of under 30s (versus 43% of 31-49s and 20.5% of over 50s). Meanwhile, consumers aged 31-49 represent the key demographic for YouTube Music, with 38% of this age group using the platform, versus 30% of 18-30s and 23% of over 50s. 

Amazon Music continues the downward trajectory it’s been on since 2023, falling a further -4 points to 19%, putting it alongside Apple Music. SoundCloud has also declined since its peak of two years ago, with only 6% of consumers regularly using it. 

Trend 4: Radio in steady decline

The overall trend seen in radio listenership is one of slow and steady decline. The number of daily listeners now sits at 31%, having fallen from 37% in 2023, while the percentage of those who listen a few times a week has also been gradually trailing off (currently 23%).

The number of Americans who say they never listen to the radio has simultaneously crept up from 11% in 2023 to 16% today. With that said, a substantial 54% still tune in at least three times per week, meaning it remains a valuable advertising medium. 

This is especially true for reaching middle aged and older audiences: 37% of 39-49-year-olds listen to the radio daily, as do 36% of over 50s (but only 15% of under 30s listen with such regularity). Around a quarter of each age group listen to radio “a few times a week”. 

Digging further into the profile of regular radio listeners, we see that consumers from higher income households are more likely to listen than lower earners: 60% of those with a household income in excess of $100k listen multiple times per week/daily, compared with 47.5% of those earning less than $50k. 

Trend 5: Over 50s increase podcast consumption

Older Americans are listening to podcasts more frequently in 2025: 32% of over 50s stream podcasts at least once a week, following a +5% increase. However, with usage among 31-49-year-olds static, and weekly use among 18-30s having declined by -7 points to 39%, overall podcast listening figures fail to chalk up growth. Nearly 15% of consumers listen to podcasts daily, while a further 25% listen at least once a week.

Americans aged 31-49 are the biggest podcast consumers, with 45% listening weekly, but when it comes to daily listening, they’re on a level pegging with their younger counterparts (both around 16%). Men show a preference for podcasts, with 45% listening to them weekly, versus 35% of women. 

Comedy podcasts are the most popular, especially among younger listeners, while older consumers frequently seek out news and political content. True crime is the third most-popular subject matter for podcasts, again driven by younger listeners. 

Similarly to podcasts, audiobooks are consumed most frequently by 31-49s: 27% listen to them weekly (an increase of +4.5 points on last year). Weekly usage among under 30s sits at 18%, while only 8% of over 50s listen to an audiobook at least once a week. Failure to engage this age group appears to be holding back growth of the medium. Overall, just 18% of the population listen to audiobooks weekly – no change on last year.  

Social media trends

Trend 6: Over 30s continue social media detox

The percentage of consumers spending three plus hours on social media per day has decreased by -6.5 points to 30%. The decline comes primarily from Americans aged 31-49, who have cut back on 3-hour-plus sessions for a second year running (down by -10.5 points to 27%). This age group has significantly slashed long scrolling sessions since 2023, when 45% spent 3+ hours on social per day. Now, they’re most likely to say they spend 1-2 hours online per day.

Consumers under 30s have also reduced the amount of time they spend online, recording a -7 point decrease in sessions over three hours since last year. However, a sizable 46% still spend long durations on social platforms each day. Looking at just how much time 18-30s spend scrolling, we see 21% spend 3-4 hours, 16% spend 5-6 hours and an addicted 9% spend more than 6 hours. 

Older Americans (age 50-67) typically spend up to an hour on social media each day, and only 21% spend more than three hours. When it comes to the biggest doomscrollers, women are three times more likely than men to spend 6+ hours a day on social platforms (10% versus 3%). Interestingly, consumers with a lower household income are also notably more likely to indulge in long social sessions than higher earners (33% versus 22% spend in excess of three hours a day).

Trend 7: TikTok leads social media platform growth

All the social media platforms in our survey have failed to chalk up growth in daily users over the last year – with TikTok being the singular exception. TikTok has increased daily users by +5 points to 30%. Meanwhile X and Facebook have both suffered small losses: daily usage of X has fallen by -4 points to 16% and by -3 points to 52% for Facebook. 

This move puts Facebook on a par with YouTube for daily users. But when we combine daily users with people who visit at least three times a week, we see that YouTube is striding ahead as the nation’s most popular platform (71% versus Facebook’s 65%). 

Looking at movements in the use of social platforms by different demographics, we see 18-30-year-olds are responsible for TikTok’s growth, with a +12 increase in daily users among this age group (to 53%). This makes TikTok as popular as Instagram for the under 30s. BeReal, on the other hand, has fallen off the radar with only 2% of under 30s using it daily, and 82% never using it. 

Facebook and X’s losses come from the 31-49 age group: their daily usage of Facebook is down by -6 points to 59%, and by -7 points to 16% for X. Overall, X is the platform most likely to have been completely abandoned, with the percentage of Americans who never use it rising by +4 points to 54%, compounding last year’s +7 point increase in non-users. 

Print and digital content trends

Trend 8. Under 30s ditching digital news and magazine content

Maybe it’s because they’re getting their news on social media, but young Americans are accessing digital content less regularly: 41.5% of 18-30s now view digital news at least once a week (a decline of -7.5 points on last year), while 20.5% read digital magazine content weekly (down -10.5%).

The over 50s are the biggest consumers of digital news, with 66% accessing it weekly following a +6 point increase. This age group is also more likely to be viewing digital magazine content than previously (weekly viewing is up +4 points to 20%), but it’s 31-49-year-olds who read the most: 27% access it at least once a week.

High income households are more likely to read digital content regularly – ability to pay for subscriptions no doubt plays a role. We see that 68% of those with a household income in excess of $100k access digital news weekly (versus 50% with a household income below $50k), while 33% access digital magazine content every week (versus 18.5%).

There’s also a gender split when it comes to digital content: men are more likely to access both news (60% versus 54%), and magazine content (27% versus 20%) on a weekly basis. 

Trend 9.  Daily newspapers go the way of the dodo

The tradition of the daily newspaper is all but dead. The percentage of Americans reading a printed newspaper daily has fallen to 5% — the lowest level since we’ve been measuring. The decline has been driven by over 50s reducing their newspaper consumption. Only 3% of 50-67-year-olds religiously read a newspaper (down from 8% last year). In 2025, its consumers aged 31-49 who are most likely to read a daily paper: 8%, in comparison to 2% of under 30s. 

The number of Americans reading a printed newspaper at least once a week stands at 20% (down -4 points), with men more likely to engage with physical newspapers than female consumers (23% versus 17% read papers weekly). Higher earners over-index for reading newspapers regularly: 27% versus 18% of lower earners. Higher earners are also more likely to read print magazines on a weekly basis: 33% versus 18.5%.

Overall, 19% of the population read printed magazines every week but the percentage of consumers who say they never read magazines is creeping up: now at 40% following a +4 increase. This trend is even worse for printed newspapers, with 48% of the population never picking one up (an increase of +6 points on last year).

Trend 10. Under 30s thin out content subscriptions

Despite the pressure of the cost of living in 2025, content subscriptions are holding up reasonably well: 34% of Americans are paying to subscribe to a digital or print publication, which is only -2 points down on last year. 

However, if we look at subscription rates among different age groups, one demographic is making notable cut backs. Consumers aged 18-30 — the biggest spenders in content subscriptions — are -11.5 points less likely to be paying for a subscription (40.5% of this age group has one). In particular, the percentage of under 30s who have both a digital and a print subscription has declined by -6 points showing they’re having to thin out and prioritize subs as disposable income is squeezed. 

On the other hand, consumers aged 31-49 are moderately more likely to have a content subscription this year: 36.5% have at least one (up by +2.5 points). The over 50s are the least likely to be paying for content, but 26% have at least one subscription. Household income plays a big role in likelihood to pay for content: 47% of higher earners have a content subscription versus 27% of lower earners. 

Overall, digital content subscriptions dominate: 18% of consumers say they subscribe to digital content, versus 4.5% who have a subscription to a print publication (although a further 11% have subscriptions to both types of publications). 

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The post 2025 US Media Consumption Report appeared first on Attest.

From the Millennials’ social media splurge to the Gen Z podcast boom, these trends provide a detailed breakdown of how different demographics spend their time. The data also shows what the outlook is for various media formats, as well as for the biggest media brands.   

TV trends

Trend 1: TV viewing times stabilise  

Consumers have been watching less TV in recent years, but the trend appears to have slowed in 2025. The percentage of consumers watching three or more hours of TV (of any type) per day remains the same as last year (52%). That’s compared with 55% in 2023 and 59% in 2022. The most committed TV watchers are those aged 50-65, 63% of whom watch at least three hours a day. A far lower 44% of 18-30s, and 55% of 31-49-year-olds, watch for the same period. 

Live TV is holding firm, with a consistent 16% of Brits watching for at least three hours a day, although this is significantly below the 24% who watch streamed subscription TV for the same duration. The percentage of consumers who generally don’t watch live TV also remains static at 24%. However, this figure rises to a third of under 30s. 

Under 30s who do watch live TV are most likely to say they watch it for less than 30 minutes – by comparison, their older counterparts typically watch for 1-2 hours. Meanwhile, under 30s watch the most streamed TV, with 42% typically viewing for 1-2 hours per day and another 30% chalking up in excess of three hours. Only 4% of younger consumers typically don’t watch streaming services, but that increases to 23% for over 50s.   

Trend 2: YouTube Premium and Apple TV hit peak weekly viewers 

After suffering a -5 point decline in regular viewers last year, Netflix has managed to regain most of its losses, rising +4 points. Today, 76% of consumers say they watch Netflix at least once a week. The only other subscription TV platform to achieve +4 point growth is YouTube Premium. Sitting at 19%, YouTube Premium now enjoys its highest percentage of weekly viewers since we’ve been measuring.

Apple TV also makes gains for the third year running, with a +3 point increase in weekly viewers to 12% (this means the streamer has more than doubled its UK market share since 2022). Amazon Prime and Disney+ both see a small boost, rising to 48% and 41% respectively, while the other platforms remain more or less static.

Looking at the viewing profile of different streamers,18-30-year-olds are the top viewers of Disney+ (51%) and YouTube Premium (26%). Consumers aged 31-49 dominate Netflix (83%), Amazon Prime (50%), Virgin Media (13%) and Hayu (5%). Meanwhile, Over 50s are the biggest subscribers to Sky. 

When it comes to what Brits are watching, popular drama series include “Adolescence”, “The White Lotus”, and “Reacher” reflecting a strong interest in crime-themed shows. Classic British soaps remain favourites, with “EastEnders” and “Emmerdale” frequently mentioned, while reality shows like “Married at First Sight” are also cited often. 

Audio trends

Trend 3: Spotify bounces back with record users

The percentage of Brits regularly using Spotify took an -5 point plunge last year, but usage has strongly rebounded by +7 points. Today, 55% of consumers tune into Spotify on a regular basis, solidifying its position as the nation’s favourite music streaming platform. 

YouTube Music has also enjoyed a boost, increasing regular users by +6 points to 31%. Both of these platforms have now exceeded their previous record number of UK users. Meanwhile, Amazon Music remains flat at 21%; it’s yet to surpass its 2022 record of 25%. Apple Music manages only a couple of points of growth (to 17%).

Spotify is the clear favourite of young consumers, used by 76% of under 30s (versus 55% of 31-49s and 34% of over 50s). YouTube Music and Amazon Music are most popular among those aged 31-49s (used by 36% and 24% respectively). In terms of reaching older consumers, 20% of over 50s use both YouTube and Amazon, but only 8% use Apple Music. 

The percentage of Brits streaming music daily sits at 35%, while a further 25% listen multiple times a week. Meanwhile, the number of consumers who never stream music has declined from 18% last year to 15% in 2025.

Consumers aged 18-30 are the most dedicated music streamers, with 59% listening daily (compared with 34% of 31-49s and only 14% of over 50s). Just over 31% of 50-65-year-olds say they don’t stream music at all – that’s versus just 2% of under 30s. 

Trend 4: Radio rivals streamed music

Video may have killed the radio star [as The Buggles famously sang], but music streaming hasn’t yet killed off listening to the radio. Although the number of daily radio listeners has fallen since we first started measuring, usage remains stable in 2025. 

The number of daily listeners sits at 35%, while a further 25% of consumers listen multiple times a week – these figures mirror those listening to streamed music, meaning radio remains just as valuable an advertising medium. 

This is especially true for reaching middle aged and older audiences: 37% of 31-49-year-olds listen to the radio daily, as do 46% of over 50s (but only 18% of under 30s listen with such regularity). Around a third of each age group listen to radio “a few times a week”. 

Digging further into the profile of regular radio listeners, we see that consumers from higher income households are more likely to listen than lower earners: 43% of those with a household income in excess of £75k listen multiple times per week/daily, compared with 31% of those earning less than £35k. So if it’s older, wealthier people you’re targeting, radio could still be a great shout. 

Trend 5: younger consumers drive podcast and audiobook consumption

Brits are listening to podcasts with greater frequency in 2025: 41% listen at least once a week, up +5 points on last year. Around 46% of under 30s and 31-49-year-olds listen weekly (compared with 28% of over 50s). But when it comes to steaming daily, it’s those aged 31-49 who do it most (17% versus 11% of under 30s and just 6% of over 50s).

Men show a preference for podcasts – with 47% listening to them weekly, versus 34% of women – as do consumers with a higher household income. Nearly 53% of consumers with a household income over £75k say they listen to podcasts multiple times a week – that’s compared to just 22% of those with a household income under £35k. 

Comedy podcasts are the most popular for listeners overall, but sport podcasts are the favourite for men: 43% of male respondents listen to sports podcasts versus only 9% of females. Health and wellbeing, and true crime are the next most-listened to genres of podcast – both favoured by women. Meanwhile, news/political podcasts (which round out the top five) are more likely to have male listeners. Older consumers also frequently seek out news and political content. 

Audiobooks also chalk up some modest growth, with the percentage of Brits listening weekly rising from 18% to 20%. The bulk of the growth comes from consumers aged 18-30: the percentage who listen at least once a week has grown +6 points to 28%.   

Weekly usage among those aged 31-49 sits at 23%, while only 9% of over 50s listen to an audiobook at least once a week. However, we do see a drop in the number of over 50s who say they never listen to audiobooks (62%, down from 67% in 2024), which suggests that more older listeners might be giving them a go. 

Social media trends

Trend 6: Younger Brits increase social media use

The percentage of consumers spending three plus hours on social media per day has increased by +4 points to 32%. The increase comes primarily from Brits aged 31-49, who are now +5 points more likely to indulge in 3-hour-plus daily social sessions (to 30%). Despite this, this age group is most likely to say they spend 1-2 hours online each day.

Consumers aged 18-30 have also increased the amount of time they spend online, recording a +3 point increase in sessions over three hours since last year, to a sizable 54%. Under 30s spend the most time on social platforms overall, being most likely to spend 3-4 hours each day. 

Older Brits (age 50-65) typically spend up to an hour on social media each day, and only 14.5% spend more than three hours. When it comes to the biggest doomscrollers, women are twice as likely to spend 6+ hours a day on social platforms (6% versus 3% of men). At the other end of the scale, over 50s are significantly more likely to say they spend less than 30 minutes (or no time at all) on social per day: 37% versus just 6% of under 30s. 

Trend 7: TikTok leads social media platform growth

All the social media platforms in our survey have failed to chalk up notable growth in daily users over the last year – with TikTok being the singular exception. TikTok has increased daily users by +6 points to 35%. At the same time, the platform has attracted net new users, with the percentage of Brits who never use it having declined from 47% to 38%. 

With daily usage of Youtube seeing only a negligible increase (to 41.5%), TikTok is edging closer to becoming the nation’s third-most popular social media platform. Consumers aged 31-49 are primarily responsible for TikTok’s growth, with a +7 increase in daily users among this age group (to 32%). However, TikTok’s biggest user group is the under 30s, 61% of whom use the platform daily following a +4 point increase. This makes TikTok as popular as Instagram for this age group.

Meanwhile, Facebook’s largest user group is made up of those aged 31-49, 65% of whom use it daily (up +4 points since last year). Interestingly, the age profile of X has shifted in the last year, moving from being evenly distributed, to being dominated by the under 30s: 26% of 18-30s use X daily, compared with 22% 31-49s and 17% of over 50s. X has also obtained net new users among the under 30s, with the percentage who never use it decreasing by -5 points to 26%. 

Print and digital content trends

Trend 8. Under 30s are digging into digital magazine content

Brits aged 18-30 have increased their readership of digital magazine content in 2025. Following a +7 point jump, more than a third now access it every week (33.5%). This means the under 30s are now more likely to read digital magazines than 31-49-year-olds, who were the previous biggest consumers. 

Overall, digital magazines record a +3 point increase in the number of consumers reading them each week (to 27%), while digital news sites experience a small decline (to 65%). The over 50s are the biggest consumers of digital news, with 71.5% accessing it at least once a week. However, this represents a -6 point decline on last year. The 31-49-year-old age group has also reduced its weekly consumption of digital news by a few percentage points (to 68%), while under 30s have slightly increased it (to 55%). 

High income households are more likely to read digital content regularly – ability to pay for subscriptions no doubt plays a role. We see that 82% of those with a household income in excess of £75k access digital news weekly (versus 59% with a household income below £35k), while 52% access digital magazine content every week (versus 22%). There’s also a gender split when it comes to digital news: 72.5% of men say they access it weekly, in comparison to 59% of women. 

Trend 9. Newspapers make a small resurgence 

While the tradition of the daily newspaper seems to be over, printed papers aren’t completely dead. The percentage of Brits reading a paper “a few times a week” has been modestly growing over the last few years, rising from 8% in 2022, to 11.5% in 2025. 

Combined with the 7% of consumers who do still buy a daily tabloid or broadsheet, that’s 18.5% of the population reading a physical newspaper multiple times per week, while a further 8% pick one up “once or twice a week”. Newspaper readership is seeing growth among younger consumers: under 30s register a +6 point increase in weekly use.

However, at the same time, consumers over 50s are reducing their newspaper consumption. Only 24% of 50-65-year-olds read a newspaper weekly (down -9 points since last year). In 2025, its consumers aged 31-49 who are most likely to read printed papers overall: 28% read one weekly, but this segment fails to record any growth. 

Interestingly, men are significantly more likely to engage with physical newspapers than female consumers (32% versus 21% read papers weekly). They’re also more likely to read printed magazines on a weekly basis (25% versus 20%). Overall, 22.5% of the population read printed magazines every week, with the biggest consumers being 18-30-year-olds (26.5% read mags weekly).  

Higher earners over-index for reading newspapers and magazines regularly: 48% of consumers with a household income over £75k read a paper every week compared with 23% of those with a household income under £35k, while 44% read print magazines on a weekly basis versus 18% of lower earners.

Trend 10. Younger consumers increase spending on content subscriptions

Despite the pressure of the cost of living in 2025, content subscriptions are performing well: 37% of Brits are paying to subscribe to a digital or print publication, which is +7 points more than last year. Today, consumers aged 18-30 — already the biggest spenders in content subscriptions — are +10 points more likely to be paying for a subscription (51% of this age group has one). 

Likewise, consumers aged 31-49 are +8.5 points more likely to have a content subscription this year: 37% have at least one. The over 50s are the least likely to be paying for content, but 24.5% have at least one subscription. 

Household income plays a big role in likelihood to pay for content: 65.5% of higher earners have a content subscription versus 32% of lower earners. However, we also see that gender plays a role, as significantly more men pay for content than women (45% versus 30%).

Overall, digital content subscriptions dominate: 19% of consumers say they subscribe to digital content, versus 5% who have a subscription to a print publication (although a further 13% have subscriptions to both types of publications). 

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We ran a survey in September 2024, and again in March 2025 to see what impact there’s been on spending behaviours since the start of the new government. This report examines various aspects of personal finance including disposable income, purchase intent, debt, savings, credit usage, tipping, and payment preferences, to provide you with a picture of consumer spending health right now.

Survey sample: The data in this report comes from a nationally representative survey of 1,000 UK consumers aged 18-65. It was conducted on the Attest platform during March 2025.

Trend 1: disposable incomes remain relatively low

The majority of consumers across all age groups have a monthly disposable income of less than £400, but the single largest percentage have between £100 and £199. 

Women represent the segment with the least disposable income: a significantly higher percentage of females (13%) report having less than £100 in disposable income compared to males (8%). Combined, 39% of females have less than £200 in disposable income, compared to only 31% of males.

At the other end of the scale, when looking at those with a disposable income of £1,000 or more per month, 23% of males fall into this category compared with only 16% of females, suggesting a significant gender gap. 

Overall, 36% of Brits have a monthly disposable income of more than £500, but if we look at consumers with a household income of more than £75k this figure balloons to 67%. Further highlighting the disparity between rich and poor, 32% of high earners say they have more than £2,000 left over to spend each month. 

Trend 2: large portion of disposable income spent on restaurants

Once the bills are paid, UK consumers are likely to spend a fair chunk of money on prepared food – whether that’s going out to eat or enjoying a takeaway at home. Nearly 50% of consumers say they typically spend on eating out each month, while slightly fewer (47%) get takeaways.

Consumers aged 31-49 show a preference for getting a takeaway, while older people are more likely to eat out. Meanwhile, under 30s are equally likely to do both, and over-index for regularly dining out (57% versus 46% of 31-49 year olds and 49% of over 50s). 

Shoppers in the younger age groups are likely to spend a higher amount on restaurants than over 50s, who only typically spend £25-£49. The typical monthly spend on takeaway food is £25-£49 across all age groups, but younger consumers are more likely than their older counterparts to spend in excess of this figure: nearly 18% of under 50s spend between £50-£99 per month versus 13% over 50s. 

In terms of gender differences, males are more likely to spend money on dining out every month (54% versus 45% of females) and typically spend £75-£99 on restaurants – that compares to £50-£74 for women. But there’s little difference when it comes to takeaways. 

High earners significantly over-index for regularly eating at restaurants (76%), and spend more when they do, with typical monthly outlay between £100 and £149. They also spend more on takeaway food (£50-£74). In comparison, consumers with a household income below £30k, spend only £24-£49 on both dining out and takeaways. 

Trend 3: purchase intent for big ticket items has decreased 

Perhaps signposting a lack of confidence in the economy, purchase intent for big ticket tech items has declined under the Labour government. Compared to when we surveyed consumers in September, the percentage of respondents planning to buy a smartphone in the next 12 months has declined from 33% to 30%. 

Likewise, 13% intend to buy a new TV (down from 16%), and 17% plan to buy a computer/tablet (down from 21%). Meanwhile, the percentage of consumers planning to replace their sofa, vehicle or bed/mattress in the next year remains consistent.

Despite this dip in purchase intent, we see that smartphones are the item most likely to be purchased in the short to medium term: a further 35% will buy one in the next 24 months. On the other hand, sofas appear to be the least regularly replaced big ticket item. While 32% of consumers intend to buy a new one in the next two years, 29% say it will be more than five years before they replace theirs. 

Men show significantly higher intent to shop in some categories than women: 44% say they will buy a new vehicle in the next 24 months (versus 33% of women), and 42% a TV (versus 32.5%), while 42% plan to buy a computer (versus 38%).

High income consumers also over-index for plans to buy all items, with the greatest intent to replace their smartphone (75.2%) and vehicle (61%) in the next two years. Meanwhile, consumers in the younger age groups show higher intent than those aged 50 plus to purchase in all categories. 

Trend 4: High earners prioritise spending on appearance 

Discretionary spending categories like personal grooming and clothing often suffer in an economic downturn, so how are they doing right now? Overall, 51% of consumers say they spend on clothing, shoes and accessories every month, while 46% regularly spend on things like cosmetics, beauty treatments and hairdressers. 

However, these figures represent a decline from six months ago when 56% spent on clothing monthly, and 50% on grooming. And despite making frequent purchases in the categories, spending levels are relatively modest. Consumers spend either less than £25 per month on personal grooming or £25-£49, while typical spend on clothing is also £25-£49. 

High earners are especially likely to spend their disposable income on personal grooming and clothing: just under 70% shop in both categories every month. High earners typically spend between £50-£99 on grooming per month and £50-£149 on clothing, but they significantly over-index for spending more than £200 in both categories (15% on grooming and 26.5% on clothing). 

Shoppers in the younger age groups are more likely than over 50s to make regular clothing and personal care purchases, and they also spend more, over-indexing for higher spend brackets. Female consumers also show a higher tendency to make regular expenditures on their appearance: 51% spend on grooming and 54% on clothing, compared with 40% and 48% of males respectively. And while spending on clothing is consistent between the genders (£25-£49), women typically spend a higher amount on grooming (£25-£49 compared with less than £25 for men). 

Trend 5: tipping has decreased

If British consumers are feeling the pinch, it appears to be service workers who are suffering the consequences. Habitual tipping of those in service roles has notably declined across the board. 

Since six months ago, tipping of taxi drivers has fallen from 66% to 52%, and hotel cleaners are -11 points less likely to be tipped (only 23% of consumers routinely do it). Meanwhile, 21% tip bar tenders (down from 31%) and 20% tip hotel porters (down from 28%). We also see that nearly 40% of consumers are likely to tip less than the standard 10% when visiting a restaurant. 

While taxi drivers are the most likely to be tipped, they tend to receive lower amounts than other service providers, with £2 being the typical tip. Those in other service roles are likely to receive £5. This amount has not declined – only the number of consumers tipping, so who is still showing their appreciation?

Consumers from high income households over-index for tipping service staff, with 57% routinely tipping taxi drivers and around 40% tipping the other service provider types. And they are more likely to tip above £5. High earners are also significantly more likely to tip over the average at restaurants: more than a quarter tip at least 15% of the bill (although 21% still tip less than the expected 10%). 

On the other hand, the majority of consumers from low income households (48%) tip restaurant servers below 10% and also over-index for not tipping other service providers. Men and women are equally likely to tip and tip similar amounts, but age can affect tipping likelihood.

Consumers aged 18-30 are especially likely to tip bartenders: 30% in comparison to 26% of 31-49-year-olds and 16% of over 50s. But they’re also more likely to tip less than 10% in a restaurant (46%). Meanwhile, consumers aged 50 plus over-index for tipping taxi drivers (56% versus 45% of under 50s).

Trend 6: UK showing green shoots for financial security 

When it comes to financial security in the UK, the scales are tipped in the right direction, with 46% of consumers feeling financially secure, and a lesser 30.5% feeling financially insecure. Meanwhile, the percentage of consumers at either end of the scale (stating they feel ‘very’ secure or insecure) sits at 10%.

However, there’s one demographic not doing as well as the rest: consumers aged 30-49 are significantly more likely to report financial insecurity. Just over 39% feel insecure compared with around 28% of other age groups, which could be due to their life stage – perhaps supporting young families. 

It’s unsurprising that those with a household income below £30k are also more likely to feel financially unstable (40%), and likewise that those with a household income in excess of £75k are the most likely to report financial security (74%). 

But what might surprise is the marked gender disparity in financial stability, with men generally feeling more financially stable than women (51% versus 41%). Additionally, the percentage of females who feel ‘very financially unstable’ (13%) is nearly double that of males (7%).

Trend 7: consumers are keeping a tight rein on debt

While the economy might not exactly be booming, one good sign is the low level of personal debt that British consumers have. The majority (52%) don’t have any debt on credit cards, store cards or short term loans. What’s more, 25.5% don’t actually own credit cards, reducing the temptation to spend above their means. 

Of consumers who do have debt, the largest single percentage owe the manageable amount of £100-£499. Overall, 28% of consumers have less than £1,000 in debt and only 5% have more than £5,000. The higher the household income, the more debt you’re likely to have – presumably because credit is easier to obtain. Illustrating this, 32% of consumers with a household income below £30k don’t have credit cards, versus only 14% of those with a household income over £75k.

Young consumers also over-index for not owning credit cards (32%), while over 50s are most likely to have cards with zero balances (34%) and be totally debt-free (63%). It’s the financially-less-secure 30-49-year-old segment that has the highest level of debt: 29% owe more than £1,000 compared with around a quarter of the other age groups. 

Meanwhile, women are somewhat more likely to owe money to credit and store cards than men: while 55% of males are debt-free, only 49% of females are. Men over-index for having credit cards with zero balances (30% versus 24%) suggesting that males are more likely to pay off their balances in full.

Trend 8: majority have less than £1,000 in savings 

Savings is one area that starkly shows the difference in financial fortunes between different segments. Those with a high household income are significantly more likely than those with a low household income to have savings – and substantial savings at that. 

High earners are most likely to say they have more than £35,000 in savings (36%), while low earners typically have less than £1,000. And low earners are 7x more likely to not have any savings (29% versus 4%).

Consumers aged 31-49 are the worst off for savings: 26% don’t have any, and they’re less likely to have savings over £1,000 (48% versus 55.5% of under 30s and 72% of over 50s). Older Brits, meanwhile, are sitting pretty – only 17% don’t have money put aside, with the single largest percentage having squirreled away more than £35,000 (23%). 

Continuing the trend we’ve already seen, a significantly higher percentage of females have no savings compared to males (24% versus 14.5%). Conversely, males are more likely to have higher amounts of savings across most brackets, including being twice as likely to have savings over £35,000 (24% versus 11%).

Trend 9: credit cards are the top choice for costly purchases

Most Brits say they would save up to buy something they can’t currently afford (64%), but those aged between 30-49 are the most likely to turn to credit. While 55% would wait and save up, 40% would use some form of credit – that’s compared with 33% of over 50s and 30% under 30s.

Shoppers aged 30-49 are most likely to use a credit card for a purchase outside their current budget (17%), followed by an installment loan (12%) – this age group are the biggest users of short term installment loans. They also over-index for likelihood to tap into their overdraft (6%).  

Overall, we see that credit cards are the most popular form of borrowing for people who can’t or don’t want to save up for purchases. Consumers are least likely to get a loan: less than 2% would apply for a loan, with little distinction made between bank loans or payday loans. Using store cards is also unpopular (2%).

While consumers with a household income below £30k are likely to save up for big purchases (63%), those who do borrow are almost as likely to get an installment loan as they are to use a credit card (11% versus 13%) They also over-index for use of store cards, overdrafts and borrowing from friends and family. Meanwhile, high earners are the biggest users of credit cards (at 24%). And thanks to their creditworthiness, 44% of high earners wouldn’t wait to buy something they can’t afford.

Trend 10: young shoppers opt for device payments and digital wallets

Consumers aged 18-30 are notably more likely to want to pay with a cellular device when shopping online or in-store. Nearly 36% would choose to use their smartphone or watch to pay in a shop, compared with 21% of 30-49-year-olds and 11% of over 50s. 

Likewise, if making a purchase online, 35% would prefer to use a digital wallet on their device (such as Apple Pay). In comparison, only 18% of those aged 30-49, and 7% of over 50s would choose this payment method, with older shoppers preferring to pay by card.

The popularity of device payments and digital wallets has increased in the last six months, with likelihood to make a contactless device payment rising from 16% to 19%, and preference for digital wallets rising from 12% to 15% – stats that indicate a growing trend. 

Interestingly, women show a stronger preference for in-store device payments compared with men (22% versus 15%), and they’re twice as likely to use digital wallets when making ecommerce purchases (20% versus 10%).

Only around 17% of consumers of all ages have a preference to pay with cash, showing how close the UK is to becoming a cashless society. One segment that does over-index for wanting to use cash is low earners: 23% of those with a household income below £30k want to use cash in comparison to just 12% of high earners.

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We ran a survey in September 2024, and again in March 2025 to see what impact there’s been on spending behaviors since the new president took office in January. This report examines various aspects of personal finance including disposable income, purchase intent, debt, savings, credit usage, tipping, and payment preferences, to provide you with a picture of consumer spending health right now.

Survey sample: The data in this report comes from a nationally representative survey of 2,000 US consumers aged 18-67. It was conducted on the Attest platform during March 2025.

Trend 1: disposable incomes remain stubbornly low

The majority of consumers across all age groups have a monthly disposable income of less than $200 – in fact, the single largest percentage have less than $50. 

Women represent the segment with the least disposable income: a significantly higher percentage of females (24%) report having less than $50 in disposable income compared to males (11%). This trend continues in the $50-$99 bracket, with 13% of women versus 8% of men. Combined, 36% of females have less than $100 in disposable income, compared to only 20% of males.

At the other end of the scale, when looking at those with a disposable income of $1,000 or more per month, 19% of males fall into this category compared with only 14% of females, suggesting a significant gender gap. 

Overall, a third of Americans have a monthly disposable income of more than $500, but if we look at consumers with a household income of more than $100k this figure balloons to 67%. Further highlighting the disparity between rich and poor, 16% of high earners say they have more than $3,000 left over to spend each month. 

Trend 2: large portion of disposable income spent on restaurants

Once the bills are paid, US consumers are most likely to spend their money on prepared food – whether that’s going out to eat or enjoying a takeout at home. Nearly 57% of consumers say they typically spend on takeout food each month, while slightly fewer (51.5%) eat at restaurants.

Consumers aged 18-30 show a preference for eating out, while older people prefer to get a takeout. Those in the 31-49 age group spend the most on restaurant food, with the single largest percentage spending $100-$149 per month on restaurants, and $50-$74 on takeouts.

Under 30s are likely to spend a higher amount on takeout food ($75-$99) but a lesser $50-$74 on restaurants. Meanwhile, over 50s spend the least: $25-$49 on takeouts and $50-$74 on eating out. In terms of gender differences, males are more likely to eat food prepared outside the home, and spend larger amounts on it. 

High earners significantly over-index for regularly eating at restaurants (73%), and spend more when they do, with typical monthly outlay between $100 and $249. They also spend more on takeout food ($100-$149). In comparison, consumers with a household income below $50k, spend only $24-$49 on takeouts and $50-$74 on dining out. 

Trend 3: purchase intent for big ticket items has decreased 

Perhaps signposting a lack of confidence in the economy, purchase intent for big ticket items like computers and sofas has declined since the start of the Trump administration. Compared to when we surveyed consumers in September, the percentage of respondents planning to buy a smartphone in the next 12 months has declined by -5 points to 37%. 

Likewise, 24.5% intend to buy a new TV (down from 30%), 28% plan to buy a computer/tablet (down from 31%) and 20% will replace their sofa (down from 23%). The percentage planning to get a new vehicle or bed/mattress in the next year has also declined by a couple of points (both to 25%).

Despite this dip in purchase intent, we see that smartphones are the item most likely to be purchased in the short to medium term: a further 28% will buy one in the next 24 months. On the other hand, sofas appear to be the least regularly replaced big ticket item. While 43% of consumers intend to buy a new one in the next two years, a quarter say it will be more than five years before they replace theirs. 

Men show significantly higher intent to buy technology than women: 41.5% will buy a smartphone in the next 12 months (versus 32% of women), 32% a computer (versus 23%) and 27% a TV (versus 22%). High income consumers also over-index for plans to buy all items, with the greatest intent to replace their smartphone (44%) and computer (36.5%). And nearly 36% plan to buy a new vehicle soon.

Meanwhile, consumers aged 30-49 show higher intent than other age groups to purchase smartphones (43%), computers (34%) and beds (30%) in the next 12 months. 

Trend 4: high earners prioritize spending on appearance 

Discretionary spending categories like personal grooming and clothing often suffer in an economic downturn, so how are they doing right now? Overall, 46% of consumers say they spend on clothing, shoes and accessories every month, while 44% regularly spend on things like cosmetics, beauty treatments and hairdressers, which is a small decline on six months ago. Consumers typically spend $25-$49 on personal grooming, and $50-$74 on clothing per month. 

High earners are especially likely to spend their disposable income on personal grooming and clothing: 69% shop in both categories every month. That compares to 37% of low earners who regularly buy grooming products, and 41% who frequently shop for clothes. High earners typically spend between $50-$149 on grooming per month and $100-$149 on clothing, but they significantly over-index for spending more than $200 in both categories (16.5% on grooming and 29% on clothing). 

While the amount spent on appearance doesn’t differ significantly between age groups, shoppers aged 18-30 are more likely than their older counterparts to make regular clothing purchases (50% versus 41% of over 50s). And consumers aged 31-49 are more likely to shop in the personal grooming category every month (46% versus 42% of over 50s).

Female consumers show a higher tendency to make regular expenditure on grooming (47% spend on personal care monthly, compared with 41% of males). Likelihood to buy clothing is consistent between the genders but men typically spend a greater amount ($100-$149 versus $50-$74 for women).

Trend 5: restaurant tipping has increased

American consumers appear to be showing support for service workers by increasing the amount they tip. Following a four point shift, most people now tip 20% when visiting a restaurant, whereas six months ago they were equally as likely to tip 10%. 

Behind restaurant workers, bartenders are the next most likely to be tipped (60%), with 45% of drinkers giving them $5 or more. Consumers aged 18-30 are especially likely to tip bartenders: 52% tip at least $5 (in comparison to 44% of 31-49-year-olds and 40% of over 50s).

Taxi drivers are also commonly tipped (44%), and 36% of consumers tip at least $5. A third of people say they tend to tip hotel cleaners, with $5 also being the most commonly tipped amount. The least tipped service providers are hotel porters – only 24% usually tip them. 

Men and women tend to tip similar amounts, but female consumers are significantly more likely to not tip: 21% indicated they don’t usually tip any of the listed service providers, compared to 13% of males. Women are also more likely to tip less than 10% in a restaurant: 21% versus 16% of males.

The majority of consumers from low income households (26%) tip restaurant servers below 10% and also over-index for not tipping other service providers. High earners, meanwhile, are significantly more likely to tip hotel cleaners and porters. With that said, high earners don’t necessarily tip much higher amounts than other segments. 

Trend 6: Americans split down the middle on financial security 

When it comes to financial security in America, there’s distinct polarization: 39% of consumers feel financially secure, while 38% feel financially insecure. But probing the data further reveals that 28% of those who admit to financial security do so tenuously; only 11% say they feel ‘very’ financially stable.  

It’s unsurprising that those with a household income in excess of $100k are most likely to report financial security (73%), but still only a third of those high earners feel really confident about their financial situation. Meanwhile, 15% feel financially unstable. Perhaps this is because higher earners have higher outgoings, over-indexing for spending $2,000+ per month on their rent or mortgage, and spending more than other segments on energy and transportation. 

Consumers in the 50-67 age group are most likely to feel financially unstable (44% versus 33% who feel financially stable). In the younger age groups, more consumers feel secure than they do insecure, with the highest security felt among those aged 31-49 (44% secure versus 36% insecure). 

We also see a marked gender disparity in financial stability, with men generally feeling more financially stable than women (47% versus 32%). Additionally, the percentage of females who feel ‘very financially unstable’ (23%) is nearly double that of males (13%).

Trend 7: consumers are keeping a tight rein on debt

While the economy might not exactly be booming, one good sign is the low level of personal debt that American consumers have. More than 42% don’t have any debt on credit cards, store cards or short term loans. What’s more, 22% don’t actually own credit cards, reducing the temptation to spend above their means. 

Of consumers who do have debt, the largest single percentage owe the manageable amount of $100-$499. Overall, 28% of consumers have less than $1,000 in debt and only 7% have more than $5,000. The higher the household income, the more debt you’re likely to have – presumably because credit is easier to obtain. Illustrating this, 29% of consumers with a household income below $50k don’t have credit cards, versus only 7% of those with a household income over $100k.

Nearly 48% of low earners who do have credit cards are not carrying balances on them, compared to 30% of high earners. Likewise high earners are nearly twice as likely to have more than $5,000 in debt (10%). Young consumers also over-index for not owning credit cards (26%) and having lower levels of debt, with a total of 46% of 18-30-year-olds totally debt-free.

There are gender differences in credit card ownership, with a significantly higher percentage of females reporting not having any credit or store cards (25% versus 18% of men). This suggests that women are less likely to engage with credit products than men, and more likely to avoid debt in general (46% have no debt versus 37% of men).

Trend 8: majority have less than $1,000 in savings 

Savings is one area that starkly shows the difference in financial fortunes between different segments. Those with a high household income are significantly more likely than those with a low household income to have savings – and substantial savings at that. 

High earners are most likely to say they have more than $40,000 in savings (24%), while low earners typically have less than $1,000. And low earners are 7x more likely to not have any savings (39% versus 5%).

Older consumers are the worst off for savings: 29% of over 50s don’t have any, and they’re less likely to have savings over $1,000 (39% versus 47% of under 30s and 44% of 30-49-year-olds). Perhaps surprisingly, consumers aged 18-30 are the best at saving – only 23.5% don’t have money put aside, having typically squirreled away between $1,000-$4,999. 

Continuing the trend we’ve already seen, a significantly higher percentage of females have no savings compared to males (36% versus 17%). Conversely, males are more likely to have higher amounts of savings across most brackets, including being twice as likely to have savings over $40,000 (10% versus 5%).

Trend 9: credit cards are the top choice for costly purchases

Most Americans say they would save up to buy something they can’t currently afford (62%), but those aged between 30-49 are the most likely to turn to credit. While 55.5% would wait and save up, 36% would use some form of credit – that’s compared with 30% of over 50s and 29% under 30s.

Shoppers aged 30-49 are most likely to use a credit card for a purchase outside their current budget (21%), followed by an instalment loan (6%) or store card (3%). However, this age group is also the most likely to lean on friends and family to borrow money (8%). 

Overall, we see that credit cards are by far the most popular form of borrowing for people who can’t or don’t want to save up for purchases. Consumers are least likely to get a loan: less than 2% would apply for a loan, with little distinction made between bank loans or payday loans. Using overdrafts is also unpopular (2.5%).

Short term instalment loans that split the cost of a purchase are most popular with consumers under 30: over 8% are likely to use them rather than a credit card. Meanwhile, high earners over-index for using store cards (5%), but they’re also the biggest users of credit cards (at 32%). Thanks to their creditworthiness, more than half of high earners wouldn’t wait to buy something they can’t afford.

Trend 10: young shoppers opt for device payments and digital wallets

Consumers aged 18-30 are notably more likely to want to pay with a cellular device when shopping online or in-store. Nearly 22% would choose to use their smartphone or watch to pay in a shop, compared with 10% of 30-49-year-olds and 5% of over 50s. 

Likewise, if making a purchase online, 24% would prefer to use a digital wallet on their device (such as Apple Pay). In comparison, only 9% of those aged 30-49, and 5% of over 50s would choose this payment method. Women also show a preference for digital wallets, with 14% selecting them versus 9% of males.

Other significant payment preferences include the desire that lower earners have to pay with cash: 37% of those with a household income below $50k want to use cash in comparison to 18% of high earners. For ecommerce purchases, lower earners are more likely to use an online payment provider, like PayPal, than their more affluent counterparts (23% versus 16%). 

In general, however, consumers in every demographic are most likely to pay with credit and debit cards in all situations, showing an overall preference for cashless transactions.

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Benchmarking against multi-market data from 2024, we can see that consumer readiness for AI in retail is increasing, driven by greater familiarity – and a growing belief that AI has the potential to improve customer experience. However, trust and ethical considerations remain important factors shaping adoption. 

Survey sample: The data in this report comes from two multi-market surveys of 5,000 consumers aged 18-67 residing in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. The research was conducted on the Attest platform during January 2025.

Consumers are feeling more positive about brands using AI  

Only a year has passed since we last polled consumers about brands using AI technology but rapid advancement has taken place in that time. Most businesses have begun integrating AI into their operations and many consumers have had the chance to experience it – be it interacting with AI-powered customer service or receiving personalized product recommendations. 

As consumers become more familiar with AI in retail, some fears around the technology are abating, while more people are starting to see the benefits. A primary concern in 2024 was that brands using AI would result in people losing their jobs but this worry is starting to decline. Today, 57% of consumers are worried about job losses (down from 59%). Concern about this issue has most decreased among UK consumers. Following a -5 point decline to 54%, the UK is the market least worried about losing jobs to AI. 

Meanwhile, objection to brands using AI-generated models in their ads is also declining. The percentage of consumers who say they are not ok with it has dropped from 49% to 46%. Canadian consumers have had the biggest change of heart, with a -5 point decline in objection.  

Consumers have a growing belief that AI will improve two key aspects of retail; following a +4 point increase, 31% think it can provide a better customer experience, while 29% believe AI means better personalization (a +3 point increase on last year). Belief that AI will improve the customer experience in the UK, specifically, has increased by a notable +10 points to 35%.

In the US, positive sentiment towards brands using AI has modestly increased across the board, with the biggest increase in relation to advertising: 38% think it will make advertising more creative (up by +4 points). At the same time, concern around inauthenticity and the potential for bias have both declined by several points. 

Sentiment in Canada remains more or less consistent, although belief that AI will lead to better personalization for consumers is up by +5 points to 29%. Australian consumers, on the other hand, have become a little more pessimistic about brands using AI. Notably, there has been a +5 point increase in concern about the inability to speak to a real person (to 61%).  

Overall, the US and the UK demonstrate significantly lower concern about brands using AI compared to Canada and Australia, indicating that these markets are more mature and ready for greater adoption. 

However, AI-readiness also differs by demographic. Interestingly, Men are significantly more likely to believe there are benefits to brands using AI. For example, while 36% believe that it will lead to cost savings passed on to the consumer, and greater product innovation, only 28% of women think the same thing. 

Women are also more likely to object to brands using AI models in advertising (52% versus 41%), this is primarily because it could promote unrealistic beauty standards. Older consumers are more likely to be against artificially generated models than younger shoppers (50% of those aged 50-67 object compared to 43% of those aged 18-30). 

In general, consumers aged 50+ have a more negative perception of AI in the shopping experience. They over-index for concern about the loss of the human touch (63%) and the inability to talk to a real person (64%) and are significantly less likely to believe there are benefits to brands using AI. Only 27% think AI will improve the customer experience, in comparison to 33% of shoppers aged 31-49, and 34% of those aged 18-30. 

Consumer adoption of AI tools is growing 

Not only are consumers starting to feel more positive about brands using AI, but they’re also more likely to use the technology themselves as a part of the shopping experience. Compared with last year, there’s been a +6 point increase in consumers who say they’re likely to use generative AI (Gen AI) tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to research purchases (to 47%).

The biggest uplift in likelihood to use AI tools for researching purchases has occurred in Canada, where 51% of consumers now say they’re likely to do it, following a +10 point increase. Likewise, in the UK, there’s been a +9 point increase to 47%.

Digging into the demographics, we see that men are significantly more likely to use AI to help them make purchasing decisions: 52% versus 43% of women. There’s also a distinct difference between age groups. While, around 54% of consumers under 50 would use AI tools for product research, only 41% of their older counterparts would do the same. 

The age disparity can also be seen in likelihood to use an AI assistant or chatbot on a brand’s website. Around 60% of consumers in age groups below 50 are likely to take advantage of such tools, compared with a lesser 43% of shoppers aged 50+. Overall, though, 54% of consumers are likely to engage with an AI chatbot (up from 52%), with the UK the market most likely to use them, at 57%. 

Of course, consumer adoption of AI isn’t limited to help with shopping. A separate survey we carried out among Gen AI users has shown that the technology is being used for a wide range of purposes and a variety of tools are being used. We found that the most commonly used Gen AI tool is ChatGPT (52%), followed by Google Gemini (30%) and Microsoft Copilot (20%).

Young consumers represent the biggest user group of ChatGPT (69% of those aged 18-30 have used it), while those aged 31-49 over-index for use of Google Gemini (35%) and Microsoft Copilot (23%). It’s also notable that men have higher usage across all Gen AI tools, with the biggest disparity seen in usage of Copilot (27% men versus 15% women), and Gemini (36% men versus 25% women).   

The US lags behind for its adoption of Chat GPT, where 45% of consumers have used it in comparison to 55% in the UK, 56% in Canada, and 58% in Australia. Meanwhile, the UK is ahead of the rest for its use of Gemini (34%), and Copilot (26%). 

Gen AI usage levels are highest in the UK: 58% of consumers who have tried such tools say they use them frequently, compared with 50% of consumers in Canada. US consumers are most likely to have never tried a Gen AI tool (34% versus 25% in the UK).

Overall, however, 53% of consumers who use Gen AI tools are using them frequently, including 18% who are using them ‘very frequently’. So what are they using them for? The top use case is answering questions or explaining complex topics (42%), followed by study or learning (33%), and writing letters/drafting documents (31%). 

Around 30% use Gen AI tools for help with work-related tasks, as well as with idea generation and problem solving. Researching products and services is also amongst the top use cases, with 30% of Gen AI users employing the technology for this purpose (rising to 37% among frequent users). 

Tools like DALL-E and MidJourney allow image creation from text prompts, and 20% of consumers say they use Gen AI for creating or editing images and videos. Slightly fewer (17.5%) use the technology for content creation, generating things like blogs and social media posts. 

F&B manufacturers and retailers will be interested to learn that 19% of consumers are using Gen AI tools for recipes and meal planning. Women are especially likely to use AI for help in the kitchen: 22% say they use it for this purpose versus 15% of men. 

There’s burgeoning use of Gen AI for other types of planning, including travel planning (14%), diet and fitness planning (9%), and interior design (8%). Meanwhile, consumers are also turning to AI for recommendations: 15% ask for recommendations for TV shows, movies, games, books and music, while 13.5% ask for recommendations for restaurants, bars, hotels and attractions.

Consumer trust in AI tools (and the companies behind them) is increasing 

With high profile legal cases about the use of copyrighted data to train AI continuing to play out, AI companies haven’t always enjoyed the best public image. But our data suggests consumer opinion is improving. In 2024, only 29% of consumers said they trusted companies with the data they collected through AI technology. Today, that has increased by +4 points to 33%. 

At the same time, trust in AI tools themselves is also growing: 43% of consumers would trust the information given to them by an AI chatbot or tool, up from 40% last year. When looking specifically at consumers who currently use Gen AI tools, this figure increases to 68%. Just over 14% of these users go so far as to say they trust the information provided by AI tools ‘completely’. 

Younger consumers are notably more trusting – both of AI tools and AI companies. 37% of those aged 18-30 trust AI companies to look after their data, in comparison to 27% of shoppers aged 50+. Likewise, 47% trust information provided by AI tools, versus 35% of consumers aged 50-67.

Men – who we saw earlier are more likely to use AI – are also likely to have higher trust in the technology. 46% would trust information given to them by an AI chatbot or tool, compared with 40% of women. And 37% say they trust companies in regards to collecting data via AI (versus 29% of women). 

Comparing the markets, Australia has the lowest trust in companies handling AI data (only 29% trust them compared with 36% of Americans). And they’re the market most in favor of laws to control the use of consumers’ data to train AI (83% versus 75% of Americans). 

The push for legislation around AI is strongest among older consumers: 85% of shoppers aged 50+ support laws to control AI companies collecting data, versus 74% of those aged 18-30. Older consumers also over-index for wanting labeling of AI-generated content to be a legal requirement (89% versus 77% of younger consumers). 

In Europe, plans are already underway for regulating AI technologies. The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act is expected to be adopted in 2025 and creates a legal framework that ensures AI is used safely, ethically, and in ways that respect fundamental rights, which may go some way to improving consumer trust.

Overall, 43% of consumers remain concerned about privacy or security weaknesses when it comes to AI, which is the same as last year. But, again, we see that the consumers who are most likely to use AI tools are the least likely to have these concerns, suggesting that increasing familiarity will grow trust. 

AI is changing how consumers search online

One of the biggest ways AI is going to affect brands is search. According to MIT Technology Review, “AI means the end of internet search as we’ve known it“. We’re entering an era of conversational search, where users ask questions and – instead of a list of links – receive longform responses expressed in natural language. 

The rise of Gen AI search will likely mean a substantial loss in traffic for most websites – people no longer need to visit individual sites to get the information they’re looking for. This is great for consumers, but not so great for brands.

Our data suggests the shift to Gen AI for search is well underway. Research we carried out for our annual Consumer Trends Report found that 37% of under 40s in the UK and 32% in the US use AI at least half of the time they do an internet search. We also found elevated use of AI for search among high earning consumers. 

Right now, Gen AI is not pay-to-play, meaning brands cannot buy ads or pay to be mentioned by these tools. But for those that organically get picked up by the Large Language Models (LLMs), we wanted to explore if there could potentially be benefits over appearing in regular SERPs. 

It turns out that there is. Gen AI search results are deemed to be more trustworthy by 40% of consumers (who are already using the technology). Only 17% trust AI results less than the links that regular search engines return. It appears that getting mentioned by Gen AI could provide a halo effect for your brand. 

It could even be more effective than Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising because nearly 41% of consumers agree that they trust Gen AI search results more than paid search results (while just 15% trust it less).

American and British consumers, especially, demonstrate greater faith in Gen AI search: around 43% think it’s more trustworthy than both organic and paid search results. That’s in comparison to around 36% of Australians and Canadians. 

Men are more likely to trust Gen AI results over regular search results than women are (44% versus 37%). And age also plays a role in how much sway AI search holds, with 44% of consumers aged 18-30 trusting it more than normal search, versus 37% of those aged 50+.

With consumers clearly valuing AI-enhanced internet search, what’s likely to happen to their usage of it? Among consumers who are already using Gen AI, 60% think their use will increase in the next six months (although 5% predict a decrease).

The biggest increase will take place in the UK, where 66% of consumers say they’ll carry out more Gen AI searches. But it doesn’t look like website owners need to panic just yet, since consumers don’t plan to reduce their use of regular search engines in line with this increase. 

Only 15.5% of consumers expect their usage of normal search engines to decrease. In fact, 27.5% of consumers actually expect to increase their use in the next six months. Younger shoppers are most likely to predict higher use (31%), which might just reflect their commitment to spending time online in general. 

Either way, it seems for the time being that consumers will make use of a variety of tools for finding information online. And with regular search engines continuing to expand their integration of AI summaries we could reach a happy medium between the two. But that’s not to say brands shouldn’t be focused on optimizing their content for LLMs – and enjoy the associated benefits. 

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What is Gen Z drinking? Are their attitudes to alcohol different from other generations? And if they’re not drinking in the same way, what are they consuming instead?

Head to Beverage Dynamics to hear the full episode.

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In our latest US Consumer Trends Report, you’ll find out how people are feeling about the year ahead – and how this reflects in their shopping behaviors.

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The data reveals a mixed reaction from consumers to the new government, with high earners anticipating a buoyant 2025, while women are dubious about their economic prospects. With this sentiment influencing the way consumers behave, brands must adapt their approach. This report tells you what you need to know. 

Survey sample: The data in this report comes from a nationally representative survey of 2,000 US consumers aged 18-67. It was conducted on the Attest platform during November 2024. 

Trend 1: A gender divide is driving reduced spending

One thing that stands out in this year’s survey results is a difference between the sexes – sentiment is notably more negative among female consumers. Financially, American women believe they are significantly worse off than men. Overall, 45% say they feel financially insecure in comparison to 33% of men. And the level of insecurity that women are experiencing is more extreme, with 22% feeling “very financially insecure” versus 15% of men. 

Female consumers who feel financially insecure (by age)

This insecurity is impacting the way female consumers are spending their money; 63% say they are spending cautiously at the moment versus 46% of men. Again, a difference can be seen at either end of the spending scale, with 27% of women spending “very cautiously” compared with 17% of men. And only 5% of women describe themselves as spending “very freely” versus 10% of men. 

As a result, female consumers are more likely to purchase cheaper brands than their male counterparts: 41% would choose a cheaper brand over their favorite to save money right now compared with 34% of men.  

The uncertainty of an election year appears to have put female consumers on their guard, as there’s been a +7 percentage point increase in cautious spending. Interestingly, among men, there’s been a -5 percentage point decline. The data shows that while 36% of men feel confident about spending in light of the government’s plans for the economy, just 23% of women are reassured by economic policy. 

Men feel notably more positive about the government, with a third expressing positive sentiment compared with only a quarter of women. In general, American women feel positively about their lives (66% feel positive at the moment) but they do not show the same strength of feeling as men, 34% of whom feel “very positive” (versus 26%). 

Female consumers expressing positive sentiment towards the government (by age)

What this means for brands

Our research shows that women are looking for different things from brands than men. In terms of marketing, they’re significantly more likely to want to hear reassuring messaging (41% versus 32% of men), although motivational messaging holds the most appeal overall (52%).

Female consumers are also looking for brands to weigh in on women’s rights. Behind poverty and inequality, which 35.5% of women want brands to tackle, it’s the top issue, with 34% wanting brands to take a stance. Gen Z women (aged 18-26) feel especially strongly, with 59% wanting action from brands on women’s rights. 

Type of marketing messaging that appeals most to female consumers (by age)

It should be noted that women have lower trust in brands; while 36% of men trust big global brands to put consumers before profits, less than a quarter of women do. Even purpose-driven brands fare worse among female consumers; 41% trust them versus 49% of men. Lower trust is also felt towards social media companies, with only 24% of women trusting them compared to 30% of men. This trust gap is something brands should keep in mind when crafting communications. 

Trend 2: Gen Z consumer confidence has been dented 

Gen Z tend to look on the bright side of life but they appear to have lost a little of their optimistic spirit. Compared with last year, there’s been a -7 percentage point drop in positivity among this age group (18-27). 

Just under 70% of Gen Z state they feel positive at the moment which, while still high, could point to a changing attitude. We also see that Gen Z are less likely to spend with abandon this year; 35% say they are currently spending “freely” (down from 39%). 

Around three in 10 Gen Z consumers feel positively about the government, but four in ten express negative sentiment. They remain unconvinced by the government’s economic plans, with only a third feeling confident to spend. 

How Gen Z consumers feel about the government 

An indicator of reduced consumer optimism is less willingness to interact with brands. The percentage of Gen Z who are happy to receive emails from brands more than once a week has fallen by -8 percentage points to 39%. And it’s not just email; they’re becoming less receptive to contact via their favorite medium, social media, too. 

There have been losses in brand engagement across nearly all of the biggest social platforms among this age group. TikTok has suffered the largest, recording a -17 percentage point decline. Just over half of Gen Z say they interact with brands on TikTok, which makes it less popular than YouTube and Instagram. Fellow Gen Z fave, Snapchat has also experienced a -10 percentage point decline and now only achieves brand interaction with 36% of its young audience. 

Gen Z consumers who interact with brands on social media (by platform)

What this means for brands

Having a strategy that relies solely on social media for securing Gen Z consumers in 2025 is a bad idea. Not only are this demographic less interested in interacting with brands there, they’re also becoming less likely to make purchases via social. Last year, 18.5% of this age group reported that they were most likely to start an online shopping journey on social media, but that has dropped to just 12.5%. 

Instead, this demographic are increasing their use of marketplaces; 43% would start a shopping journey on a marketplace, up from 39% last year. At the same time, we see rapid adoption of AI for search with 36.5% of Gen Z using it at least half of the time they do a search. This trend means pay-per-click search engine advertising will become less effective. 

Where Gen Z consumers are most likely to start an online shopping journey

However, much of Gen Z’s shopping is now taking place offline. Last year, 46% said they were doing most or all of their non-grocery shopping online, but today that has fallen to 31%. In-store shopping is notably strengthening among Gen Z, with 31% favoring it, meaning brands must focus on delivering a compelling in-store experience.  

Trend 3: Climate change has taken a backseat to the economy

President Trump’s pledge to deregulate the energy sector and pull the US from the Paris Climate Agreement seems broadly in line with the thinking of the American people. There is a general consensus that growing the economy and jobs is more important right now than worrying about climate change. Only 25% of consumers disagree with this sentiment (with 26% on the fence). 

The opinion that the economy should take precedence over the environment is held by all demographics, with only Boomers (aged 60-67) slightly more likely to disagree (29.5%). Men and women are also in agreement on the issue.  

The good news is that this attitude hasn’t had a negative impact on environmentally friendly behaviors. None of the nine behaviors we measure have changed significantly. There’s been a small decline in recycling (59%) accompanied by small increases in using less single-use plastic (33%), buying from environmentally-friendly brands (20%), and buying fewer things in general (36%). 

Consumers’ environmentally-friendly behaviors 

Surprisingly, we also see an increased willingness to pay for environmentally-friendly products. Last year, 44% of consumers wouldn’t pay anything extra for a green product, but that figure has decreased to 40%. Gen Z are the most likely to pay a premium (73% say they’d pay more), while Boomers are the least likely (50%).

Consumer willingness to pay more for environmentally-friendly products

What this means for brands

Leading with environmental messaging is likely to appeal to a smaller segment of consumers in 2025. Year-on-year data shows less desire for brands to represent climate change as an issue. In 2022, 29% of consumers wanted brands to take a stand on it, but that has fallen to 24%. 

Pivoting to poverty and inequality will lead to broader buy-in, with 37% of consumers wanting brands to address this issue. But green brands that want to stay true to their values can engage their core consumers by doubling down and shouting louder.

What issues consumers want brands to represent

The 21% of consumers who say they actively buy from environmentally-friendly brands significantly over-index for engaging with brands on social media. YouTube is the top platform, with 70% interacting with their favorite brands there. And they want to receive regular email from brands too: 47% will be happy to hear from you multiple times per week.  

Trend 4: High earners are reassured and ready to spend 

By maintaining lower tax rates and expanding deductions, President Trump’s tax policies are designed to primarily benefit high earners. Our survey data shows the country’s high earners are feeling good about the economy as a result. 

When considering the government’s proposals for the economy, 42% of consumers who have an income over $100K* feel confident about spending. That’s in contrast to 27% of consumers with an income of less than $100K. In general, high earners are feeling positive about the government; 22% feel “somewhat positive”, while 20% go as far as to say they feel “very positive”.

How confident consumers with an income over $100K feel about economic policy

There’s a lot of support among higher earners for prioritizing the economy over environmental initiatives, with 57.5% agreeing that it’s more important than worrying about climate change. This compares to 48% of lower earners, despite this demographic being likely to suffer more in a poor economy. 

Currently, 63% of high earners have the perception of financial security. This sentiment appears to be having an impact, with a decline in cautious spending. Compared with last year, there’s been a -7 percentage point decrease in the number of high earners spending cautiously (to 37.5%) and a corresponding increase in spending freely (to 41%).

How consumers with an income over $100K are spending 

What this means for brands

Demonstrating much consumer confidence, pursuing higher earners in 2025 could pay off. But brands preparing to craft a strategy should note that this demographic exhibit some unique behaviors. One thing to know is that high earners are significantly more likely to shop online. 

Nearly 42% of consumers with an income over $100,000 say they habitually shop online for non-food items. This compares to 24% of people with a lower income. A tech-savvy demographic, they’re also more likely to use AI tools; 30% use AI for search “most or all” of the time (compared with 16% of lower earners), and 40% are likely to use an AI shopping assistant on a brand’s website. 

Focusing on your digital presence is therefore vital to capture this audience, which includes making sure you’re on the right social media platforms. The data shows some distinct preferences for brand engagement, with higher earners significantly more likely to interact with brands on Instagram (58% versus 42% of lower earners).

Which social media platforms consumers use to interact with brands (by income level*)

When it comes to the content you might be sharing on social (or anywhere), high earners have become notably more interested in thought-provoking and educational messaging since last year. Both types of messaging have increased by +11 percentage points, with 42.5% and 43.5% respectively wishing to hear it. 

Trend 5: The silver dollar is getting harder to reach

With proposals to start increasing the retirement age in 2025, it’s maybe no coincidence that Boomers are feeling unsure about the future. The data shows that those in the 60-67 age group feel the least confident about spending based on the government’s plans for the economy. 

Only a quarter of Boomers say they feel confident about spending, while 43% feel unconfident. This sentiment is evident in the nearly 70% of older consumers who say they’re currently spending cautiously, as well as the +3 percentage point increase in very cautious spending (to 27%) since last year.

How financially secure Boomers feel 

Interestingly, Boomers aren’t experiencing higher levels of financial hardship than any other demographic. Gen X (aged 43-54) are actually the most likely to report financial insecurity (42% versus 38% of Boomers). But Boomers are living more frugally; 39% say they’re actively trying to consume less, up from 33% last year. 

This trend might be contributing to a change in the way Boomers shop, with online shopping becoming significantly less popular among this age group. Following a +12 percentage point decline, only 20% now prefer to shop online. Additionally, Boomers’ behavior when they do shop online has shifted, with a -7 percentage point decrease in the use of search engines. Just 20% start a shopping journey with an internet search, while 54% head to a marketplace and 20% to a brand’s website. 

Where Boomers are shopping for non-grocery items

What this means for brands

With Boomers’ consumer confidence waning it’s perhaps not surprising that, now more than ever, they want to hear reassuring messaging from brands; 43% are looking for brands to “make them feel safe”. That’s an increase of +9 percentage points since last year. Meanwhile, desire for humorous messaging has fallen by -10.5 percentage points to 53%.

However, brands should be aware that reassuring Boomers comes with challenges due to the high level of distrust they have in companies to put consumers before profits. More than half actively distrust big global brands and 61% distrust social media companies. 

Purpose-driven companies are deemed more trustworthy, with only 24% distrusting them. Yet, when asked about brands taking a stance on social issues, Boomers are the group most likely to say they don’t want brands to be political (37%). 

How often Boomers are happy to receive marketing emails

More bad news is that Boomers have become significantly less receptive to email marketing. Since last year, the number happy to be contacted more than once a week has declined by -14 percentage points to 21%. Nearly 22% say they now don’t want to be emailed at all, which means brands targeting the silver dollar may have to lean more heavily on traditional ad channels like print and TV.  

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The data reveals a mixed reaction from consumers to the new government, with high earners anticipating a buoyant 2025, while Gen Z consumers are dubious about their economic prospects. With this sentiment influencing the way consumers behave, brands must adapt their approach. This report tells you what you need to know. 

Survey sample: The data in this report comes from a nationally representative survey of 1,000 UK consumers aged 18-65. It was conducted on the Attest platform during November 2024. 

Trend 1: AI is changing the online shopping journey

Google has dominated the search engine market for over two decades but things are changing fast. AI has hit the scene in a big way with the likes of Chat GPT Search, Copilot and Perplexity, and adoption among younger consumers is happening rapidly. 

Our data shows that 37% of UK consumers under 40 years of age use AI at least half of the time they do a search – that’s twice as many as the 16% of over 50s who frequently use an AI search engine. Among younger consumers, habitual use of AI for search (used “most” or “all” of the time) stands at 21%, which shows how quickly new behaviours can become engrained.

How frequently consumers use AI for search

Younger consumers have also embraced AI shopping assistants and chatbots; 31% say they’re likely to use one on a brand’s website or app. That’s in contrast to 15% of over 50s. But it’s not just age that influences use of AI technology, gender does too, with men showing a slightly higher preference for it than women. 

Meanwhile consumers with a household income over £75,000 are significantly more likely to use AI during an online shopping journey than lower earners; 40% use it for search (versus 27% of consumers with an income >£75,000) and 39% are likely to use a shopping assistant/chatbot (versus 22%).

Consumer likelihood to use an AI shopping assistant or chatbot

What this means for brands

AI search engines and AI shopping assistants will play an important role in product discovery in 2025, with the latter being especially relevant for brands selling on marketplaces. Tools like Amazon’s Rufus help shoppers by answering questions and making recommendations so they can be highly influential on purchasing decisions.  

Search engines and marketplaces are the two most common starting points for online shopping journeys. Only 18% of consumers typically head straight for a preferred brand’s website when they want to buy something, which is a -3 percentage point decline on last year. This means brands must invest in AI-specific SEO tactics such as crafting AI-friendly content, gaining coverage on media outlets used to train AI systems, and obtaining reviews.

Where consumers start an online shopping journey

It’s worth noting that consumers who frequently use AI for search are far more likely to shop online than those who rarely or never use it; only 13% show a preference for in-store shopping for non-food products (versus 24%). Reaching this audience of active online shoppers will therefore help brands to achieve ecommerce success.

Trend 2: Gen Z consumer confidence has been dented 

Gen Z find themselves in a state of flux, unsure how or if the Labour government will make a difference. They’re the demographic most likely to say they feel neither positive or negative about the government (32%), although negative sentiment outweighs positive (43% versus 25%). 

This age group (18-27) remain unconvinced by the government’s economic plans, with half lacking confidence to spend. This is already having an impact on Gen Z’s spending habits; there’s been a +6 percentage point increase in cautious spending since last year (to 39.5%) and a corresponding -6 pp decline in spending freely (to 36%). 

How confident Gen Z consumers feel about spending based on economic policy

Gen Z are the demographic least likely to describe themselves as financially secure (41% versus 33% who feel insecure), however, overall positivity among this age group is highest at 73%. Year-on-year data shows the strength of feeling has eased, though, with a -4 percentage point decline in those who feel “very positive”, to 24.5%.  

With economic confidence wavering, Gen Z are looking for savings where they can, with 71% likely to select a cheaper brand over their favourite at the moment. Meanwhile, they’ve become less receptive to marketing, with a -9 percentage point decline in the number who are happy to receive daily emails from brands (to 10%). 

How often Gen Z consumers are happy to receive marketing emails

What this means for brands

As Gen Z consumers face an uncertain future there may be an opportunity for brands to step in and reassure them. This demographic shows the highest trust in brands, as well as the most desire for brands to take a political role in society. 

Nearly 44% of Gen Z trust big global brands to put consumers before profits (versus 30% who distrust them). But trust in purpose-driven brands is even higher: 60% trust brands with a specific agenda, while just 12% distrust them. 

Only 17% of Gen Z say they don’t want brands to be political, while increasing numbers would like to see brands take action on issues like climate change (+5pp to 35%), women’s rights (+5pp to 31%), and poverty and inequality (+4pp to 44%), while racism remains a top issue for 42%. Gen Z also show an +8 percentage point increase in desire for reassuring and thought-provoking brand messaging (to 40% and 44% respectively), although motivational messaging remains king for 52%. 

Type of marketing messaging Gen Z consumers want from brands

Social media remains the best place to target Gen Z. This demographic over-index for interacting with brands on all platforms, except Facebook, which is the domain of Millennials. Instagram is the premier platform for Gen Z engagement, used by 70% (up by +6pp), followed by TikTok (59%). Social has also strengthened its position as a Gen Z shopping destination; following a +4pp increase, 16% typically start a shopping journey on social media.  

Trend 3: Climate change will be a 2025 watchword

Achieving net-zero emissions by 2030 is one of the defining missions of the Labour government, and consumer support for action on the environment remains high. Behind ‘poverty and inequality’, climate change is the top issue consumers want brands to take a stand on.  

Nearly 36% of consumers say they want brands to represent environmental issues, with older consumers and higher earners especially keen on it (39% of over 50s and 42% of consumers with an income over £75,000). Concern about animal welfare and wildlife conservation are also high on the agenda (30%). 

What issues consumers want brands to represent

And despite inflationary pressures, we also see an increased willingness to pay for environmentally-friendly products. Last year, 41% of consumers wouldn’t pay anything extra for a green product, but that figure has decreased to 37%. Gen Z are the most willing to pay a premium (77% say they’d pay more). 

Meanwhile, buying from environmentally-friendly brands has increased, with 22% of consumers claiming to actively do it (up from 19%). Again Gen Z over-index for this, with 26% stating they buy green brands. The top environmentally-friendly behaviours practiced by UK consumers are recycling (78%) and using less single-use plastic (47%), while 10% of consumers claim to drive an electric vehicle, up from 8% last year. 

Consumers’ environmentally-friendly behaviours

What this means for brands

Leading with environmental messaging will be topical as the government pursues its plan to decarbonise the electricity grid and reach 100% renewable energy. Although – a word of warning – reacting to changes in the economy at large will be important.

Consumers are more sensitive to the immediate threat of rising prices than the longer term one of climate change. Nearly 60% agree that managing the cost of living is more important than worrying about climate change. Only 16% of consumers disagree with this sentiment (with 24% on the fence). 

With that said, the 22% of consumers who say they actively buy from environmentally-friendly brands over-index for currently spending freely (36%), and a huge 89% of them are willing to pay more for green products. This makes them a valuable segment for brands to go after.

But where to find these consumers? Shoppers who buy from environmentally-friendly brands favour online shopping (51%) and are most likely to start online shopping journeys on a search engine (40%), so digital marketing techniques will be effective. 

Where consumers of green products start an online shopping journey

The good news is that these consumers also over-index for engaging with brands on social media (88%). Facebook is the top platform, with 64% interacting with their favourite brands there, followed by Instagram (60%). They want to receive regular email from brands too: 34% will be happy to hear from you multiple times per week. Right now, they’re most interested in hearing motivational messaging (52.5%).

Trend 4: High earners are reassured and ready to spend 

Labour’s proposed policies – including a tax hike for people with an income over £80,000 – significantly impact higher earners. It’s perhaps surprising, then, that higher earners feel far more positive about the government than lower earners. 

Nearly 37% of consumers with a household income over £75,000* say they feel positively about the Labour government, while 38.5% feel negatively. In comparison, only 23% of lower income consumers feel positively, and 51% feel negatively. 

When considering the government’s proposals for the economy, 44% of higher earners feel confident about spending. That’s in contrast to just 20% of lower earners. But it’s not just spending that high earners are feeling good about; overall positivity has increased by +9 percentage points among this group. 

How confident consumers with an income over £75K feel about economic policy

The perception of financial security among higher earners is buoyant right now; 68% feel secure (including 20% who feel “very secure”). In contrast, only 41% of lower earners feel financially secure. This sentiment appears to be having an impact on spending; we see a -7 percentage point decline in cautious spending for consumers who have a household income above £75,000 (to 37%).

Furthermore, these consumers are significantly less likely to forego favoured brands in order to save money; 56% are likely to select a cheaper brand at the moment versus 70% of lower earners. 

How consumers with an income over £75K are spending

What this means for brands

Demonstrating much consumer confidence, pursuing higher earners in 2025 could pay off. But brands preparing to craft a strategy should note that this demographic exhibit some unique behaviors. One thing to know is that higher earners are significantly more likely to shop online. 

Nearly 60% of consumers with an income over £75,000 say they habitually shop online for non-food items. This compares to 45% of people with a lower income. And, we already know, higher earners over-index for using AI search tools and shopping assistants.  

Focusing on your digital presence is therefore vital to capture this audience, which includes making sure you’re on the right social media platforms. The data shows some distinct preferences for brand engagement, with higher earners significantly more likely to interact with brands on Instagram (63% versus 46% of lower earners).

Which social media platforms consumers use to interact with brands (by income level*)

When it comes to the content you might be sharing on social (or anywhere), higher earners have become notably more interested in educational messaging since last year. Following a +16.5 percentage point increase, 44% want to hear this type of messaging from brands. Meanwhile, tolerance for marketing emails has grown among this group, with 34% of higher earners happy to receive mailshots multiple times a week (up by +11pp).

Trend 5: The silver pound is getting harder to reach

Brits aged 51 to 65 are the most disaffected consumer group, with the lowest faith in the government and the least confidence in spending based on Labour’s plans for the economy. Nearly 58% state they feel negatively about the government, while only 20% feel positively. 

Considering economic policy, only 19% of over 50’s say they feel confident about spending, while 54% feel unconfident. This sentiment is evident in the 59% of older consumers who say they’re currently spending cautiously. Just 14% are spending freely, which is less than half of the number of younger consumers.  

How financially secure over 50s feel

Interestingly, over 50s aren’t experiencing higher levels of financial hardship than any other demographic. While 30% report feeling financially insecure, 45% say they feel financially secure. The data suggests that over 50s aren’t spending cautiously purely out of economic concern, they’re also trying to spend mindfully; 43% say they’re actively trying to consume less, up from 39% last year. 

Over 50s appear to be putting quality over quantity; they’re less likely than other demographics to compromise by selecting cheaper brands to save money (64%). And while they’re the least likely to want to pay a premium for environmentally friendly products, the percentage who are willing to has increased by +10 percentage points to 56%.

Over 50s likelihood to select a cheaper brand instead of their favourite

What this means for brands

With over 50s taking a tighter hold on their money and spending more discerningly, brands must focus on putting forward a strong value proposition. They’ll also need to work hard at building consumer trust. Over 50s have a high level of distrust in companies to put consumers before profits. Nearly half actively distrust big global brands and 62% distrust social media companies. 

Purpose-driven companies are deemed more trustworthy, with only 26.5% distrusting them. And in terms of causes that interest over 50s, there’s a been a +10 percentage point increase in desire for brands to take action on poverty and inequality; 47% want to see this – higher than any other demographic.

Another way brands will be able to connect with this demographic in 2025 is with educational messaging. There’s been a +10 percentage point increase in desire for educational messages from brands (to 34%). Humour also works for this age group; 61% respond to humorous messaging – more than any other demographic. 

Over 50s consumers who interact with brands on social media (by platform)

However, connecting with the over 50s audience is more challenging than for other demographics since they are far less likely to interact with brands on social media. More than a third say they don’t follow brands at all (up by +4 percentage points). Additionally, they are the least receptive to email marketing; only 19% are happy to receive multiple emails per week, down -5 percentage points on last year. This means brands targeting the silver pound may have to lean more heavily on traditional ad channels like print and TV.  

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Founding CEO Jeremy King will remain on the board, staying close to the business to ensure continuity and support in Attest’s growth. 

Todd Latham, CEO at Attest, said: 

“Good research is transformative – I’ve seen that first-hand. It empowers consumer-facing businesses to innovate, build loyalty and make confident decisions grounded in reliable data. I’m committed to expanding Attest’s proven capabilities while maintaining the integrity and agility that clients rely on.”

“As a company, Attest has a fantastic culture. I’ll be working closely with the team to help build their careers in an environment that is humble, collaborative and empowering. This will be key in developing the wonderful team we have today and attracting incredible new talent as we grow.”

With Todd’s leadership, Attest is focused on delivering best-in-class insights to the world’s most exciting consumer brands. This year’s innovations – like multi-market research, monadic testing and advanced reporting – have already attracted global brands like Netflix, Uniqlo and Huel. 

Into 2025 and beyond, we’re committed to equipping researchers with the innovations they need to gather insights they can trust, underpinned by our constant dedication to integrity, data quality and research excellence through our industry-leading Customer Research Team. 

As we solidify our reputation as a leading consumer research platform, Attest is primed to become the go-to insights provider for enterprise businesses in the UK and the US. 

Watch this space – there’s a lot more to come!

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More than 44% of Americans who say they’re likely to shop on Black Friday plan to use an AI shopping assistant. A further 48% will use a generative AI tool such as ChatGPT to obtain product information and inspiration. These consumers show a high level of trust in AI tools, with nearly 40% stating they trust them “completely”.

Millennials show the highest intent to use AI tools during Black Friday: 22% say they’re “very likely” to use an AI shopping assistant and 21% are “very likely” to use GenAI.

How will consumers use AI during Black Friday?

Price research is a key usage for AI during the November shopping holiday. More than 56% of AI users will leverage the technology to find the best prices. Nearly 5 in 10 consumers will also use it to get more information on the products they plan to purchase.

For shoppers who know what they want to buy but don’t know which brand or model to select, GenAI can help them identify the best product in a certain category (such as hairdryers). Nearly 40% of consumers using an AI tool will use it for this purpose.

Finally, with Christmas looming, 42% of Black Friday shoppers who plan to use AI will enlist it help them with gifting inspiration. These shoppers are most likely to want help with buying for friends (38%), followed by their children/step-children (35%) and parents/step-parents (29%). 

More Black Friday purchases will happen online this year

The high intent to use AI tools for Black Friday shopping is accompanied by an increased intent to purchase online. Of those who plan to shop on Black Friday, 26% say they will make purchases exclusively online, which is an increase of +6 percentage points compared with last year.

This trend is being driven by older shoppers: 30% of consumers aged over 40 plan to shop exclusively online versus 23% of those under 40. 

Walmart is the top Black Friday shopping destination

Walmart is the retailer Americans are most looking forward to shopping with during Black Friday (35% named Walmart in an open text question). 

Just in time for Black Friday, Walmart has launched new AI tools to help with holiday shopping. These include a GenAI search experience that allows customers to browse based on specific use cases (e.g. “What’s a good gift for a five-year-old boy?”).

Amazon’s AI shopping assistant Rufus has also been made available to all US shoppers ahead of the holiday season. Amazon is the second-most popular retailer this Black Friday (33% are excited to shop with the retailer). Less popular, but still frequently named are Target (11%) and Best Buy (9%). 

Prime Days don’t cannibalize Black Friday sales

Finally, our research finds that other major shopping holidays such as Amazon’s Prime Day (July 16-17) and Prime Big Deal Days (Oct 8-9) don’t cannibalize Black Friday sales. In fact it’s the opposite; people who shop on those days show higher intent to purchase during Black Friday – and spend more money. 

• 98% of respondents who shopped on a Prime Day plan to purchase during Black Friday, and 35% will spend over $300.  
• Of respondents that did not shop on a Prime Day, a lesser 71% plan to purchase during Black Friday, and only 14% will spend over $300.  

Consumers who shop on Prime Days are more likely to believe in Black Friday: a third strongly agree it’s the best day to find heavily discounted products versus 19% of non-Prime Days shoppers.

Need more insight for the holiday season? Learn about running consumer research with Attest.

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