The Truth About 45 Plus Consumers: What Our New 2026 Data Really Reveals About Influence, Trust and Culture

Marketers love to chase the new. New platforms, new formats, new slang, new youth trends. But while the industry sprints after what is young and next, it continues to overlook the most powerful audience online today: people aged 45 and over.

In our previous blog: The Marketing World’s Most Overlooked Opportunity, we explored how older consumers are underrepresented in advertising despite holding most of the spending power. Now we are back with new proprietary research from our 2026 Social Media Trends B2C Survey, that goes one step further. We asked people aged 45 and over how they actually use social media, what they trust, what they ignore, and what makes them buy.

The results debunk a decade of stereotypes and reveal a digital audience that is influential, discerning and far more active than most brands realise.

Here is what we learned.

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Older Consumers Are Not Passive. They Are Power Users.

Our data shows that more than 80 percent of people aged 45 plus use social media daily, with many clocking over an hour a day. Nearly 90 percent discover new products or trends through social at least sometimes, and more than a third say they find new things often or always.

The belief that older users are “late to trends” could not be further from the truth. They are part of the culture cycle, not outside it.

And their favourite content format? Short form video. The same format brands assume is reserved for Gen Z.

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Search Behaviour Has Changed. Older Users Now Treat Social Media Like Google.

Social platforms are no longer just entertainment spaces. They have become search engines. Thirty eight percent of our respondents use social daily to look up information, and 58 percent do so weekly or more.

They may begin product research on Google or Amazon, but they validate their decisions on Instagram, YouTube or TikTok. They use social as the trust layer. Not the funnel, but the filter.

This changes everything about how brands should approach visibility, storytelling and social commerce.

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Trust Comes From People Who Feel Real, Not People With the Most Followers.

Relatability is the number one trust driver in this demographic. People want to hear from creators who share their lifestyle, values and practical reality. They do not trust follower counts and they distrust overly polished, scripted content.

More than 55 percent say follower size does nothing to influence trust. Thirty nine percent trust creators less if AI or synthetic voices are used. A third unfollow when creators post too many ads.

This is an audience with a sensitive radar for authenticity. They reward creators who feel human and punish those who feel manufactured.

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UGC Is More Persuasive Than Many Influencer Posts

Sixty three percent of respondents say user generated content is as persuasive or more persuasive than brand created ads. When brands include real customer voices, persuasion increases dramatically.

The most convincing content formats are product demos, tutorials and honest reviews. This group wants proof, utility and transparency, not vague endorsements.

And the strongest purchase driver of all? Videos that are directly shoppable. A full 31 percent say shoppable video makes them most likely to buy.

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Yes, Older Consumers Buy on Social. They Just Think Before They Click.

Contrary to stereotype, this audience engages with social commerce. Forty six percent click shoppable links at least sometimes. They are open to subscription purchases through social when trust is earned. They value discounts, deals and clarity more than impulse.

But they also take their time. Most will research a brand on its website or look for independent reviews before buying. Only 18 percent buy immediately from an influencer link.

This is not friction. It is discernment.

Brands need to stop designing for instant conversion and start designing for informed conversion.

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Older Consumers Want Honest, Human Brands

When asked what they want brands to prioritise in 2026, the top answer by a wide margin was honesty and transparency. They also want to see real people, real experiences and real community reflected in content.

They want brands to be upfront about AI and automation. More than half say they trust brands more when AI use is disclosed.

It is not technology they resist. It is secrecy.

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So Why Are Brands Still Ignoring This Audience?

It is not because of the data. The numbers are clear.

It is because of habit.
It is because of outdated assumptions.
It is because youth culture has become a comfort blanket for the industry.

But the reality is changing fast. By 2030, one in six people globally will be over 60. They will drive the majority of disposable income, shape the wellness and beauty markets, dominate travel, lead in tech adoption and fuel premium retail.

Our own research shows that they are using social media in ways marketers still associate with younger generations, but with higher expectations for truth and transparency.

This is not an emerging audience. This is the audience.

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A Call for Age Inclusive Influence

Brands have championed diversity in many forms, but age is often left behind. Representation for older consumers remains low, with only 3 to 11 percent of over 55s seeing themselves in advertising across Europe.

The result is a culture that portrays ageing as invisible, irrelevant or undesirable, even while older creators, shoppers and trendsetters prove the opposite every day.

Our data shows that older consumers want content that feels like them. They want creators who reflect their lived reality. They want brands to speak in a way that feels human, transparent and grounded in value.

Age inclusivity is not a marketing add on. It is a commercial advantage. It is a cultural correction. And it is long overdue.

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Final Thought

The future of influence is not younger, it is wiser. It is more discerning. It is more human.

Brands that continue to chase youth will struggle to stay relevant in a world where the economic centre of gravity is shifting older. Brands that embrace the reality of modern ageing will not only build trust, they will build longevity.

This is the moment to rewrite the narrative. To stop chasing assumptions and start listening to the people who have spending power, experience and a lifetime of cultural insight to offer.

At Pepper, we are committed to helping brands understand and reach this audience through creators who feel real, credible and reflective of the world we actually live in.

If you are ready to rethink age in your marketing strategy, we would love to talk.

Download our 2026 Social Media Trends Report for free.