Social media’s sway over food purchasing decisions in the United States reveals a stark divide, with a mere 7.4% of survey respondents indicating a strong influence, while a substantial 64.5% claim no influence at all. Conducted by CivicScience from January to April 2025, the survey engaged 37,072 users, shedding light on how various demographics perceive social media’s impact on their food choices.
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Age emerges as a significant factor in determining social media’s influence. Among those highly influenced, 33% are aged 18-24, while only 5% are 65 and older. In contrast, the majority of those not influenced are older, with 26% aged 65 and above. This suggests that younger individuals are more susceptible to social media’s allure when it comes to food purchasing.
Parental status also plays a role. Half of those who feel highly influenced by social media are parents, compared to 39% of those who report no influence. Interestingly, grandparents are more likely to report no influence, with 27% falling into this category, compared to just 13% among the highly influenced group.
Urbanicity further distinguishes these groups. City dwellers make up 45% of those highly influenced, while only 24% of those not influenced reside in urban areas. Conversely, suburban and rural residents are more prevalent among those who report no influence, at 42% and 30% respectively.
Income levels reveal another layer of distinction. Among those highly influenced, 30% earn less than $30,000 annually, whereas only 20% of those not influenced fall into this income bracket. Higher income brackets, such as those earning $150,000 or more, are more common among those not influenced, suggesting that financial stability may reduce social media’s impact on food purchasing.
Gender differences are also notable. Women are more likely to report being highly influenced by social media, comprising 54% of this group, while men dominate the not influenced category at 52%. This gender disparity highlights the varying degrees of social media’s reach across different demographics.
Education level further differentiates these groups. Those with only a high school education or less are more likely to be highly influenced, making up 49% of this group. In contrast, individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher are more prevalent among those not influenced, suggesting that higher education may provide a buffer against social media’s persuasive power.
These findings underscore the nuanced ways in which social media influences food purchasing decisions across different demographics. While younger, urban, and less educated individuals appear more susceptible, older, suburban, and higher-income individuals demonstrate greater resistance. This complex interplay of factors highlights the diverse landscape of consumer behavior in the digital age.
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.
