Social media’s impact on food purchasing decisions reveals intriguing patterns among American consumers. A recent survey conducted by CivicScience from January 1, 2023, to January 24, 2025, surveyed 479,313 users in the United States. The results show that social media significantly influences the food-buying habits of a small but notable segment of the population.
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Only 7% of respondents reported that social media influences their food purchases “a lot,” while 27% said it influences them “a little.” A substantial 66% claimed that social media does not influence their food purchases at all. This data suggests that while social media has a presence in the food purchasing landscape, its influence is limited to a minority of consumers.
Delving into demographics, the survey highlights distinct differences in how social media influences food purchases across various income levels. Among those heavily influenced by social media, 21% earn less than $25,000 annually, while 10% earn more than $150,000. This suggests that lower-income individuals might be more susceptible to social media’s influence on food choices.
Gender also plays a role in social media’s impact on food purchasing. Among those who reported being influenced “a lot,” there is an equal distribution between males and females. However, among those influenced “a little,” 58% are female, indicating that women might be more receptive to social media’s subtle cues in food purchasing.
Education level further differentiates the influence of social media. Among those influenced “a lot,” 8% have less than a high school education, while 16% hold a graduate or professional degree. This suggests that social media’s influence spans across educational backgrounds, though it is slightly more pronounced among those with higher education.
Age is another factor in social media’s influence on food purchases. Among those influenced “a lot,” 32% are aged 18-24, while only 4% are 65 or older. This indicates that younger consumers are more likely to be swayed by social media when making food-purchasing decisions.
Overall, the survey underscores the nuanced role social media plays in shaping food purchasing behaviors. While its influence is not overwhelming, it is significant among certain demographics, particularly younger, lower-income individuals. This highlights the potential for targeted marketing strategies to leverage social media’s influence on these specific groups.
This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights. Our AI content creation tool, DataScribe, supported the article.
