Influencers and social media ads drive nearly half of German youth online shopping, study reveals
A new study by DAK-Gesundheit and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf shows 47 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds first notice products via social media ads, while 1.2 percent are already considered problematic online buyers.
Study findings
A special analysis on media addiction by German health insurer DAK-Gesundheit and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) has examined the online shopping behavior of children and adolescents aged 10 to 17. The data shows that 47 percent of this age group become aware of products through advertising on social media platforms. An additional 40 percent are prompted by recommendations from influencers. These figures show the role that social media plays in shaping consumer habits among young people.
- Social media advertising
- 47 %
- Influencer recommendations
- 40 %
Problematic online shopping
According to the study, 1.2 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds already qualify as problematic online shoppers. Girls are slightly more affected at 1.3 percent than boys at 1.0 percent. While the majority of adolescents — more than three quarters — say they never or only irregularly shop online, the frequency increases with age.
Age differences
Among older teens aged 14 to 17, 28.5 percent shop online at least once a month. The study notes that algorithmic advertising and influencer content can turn from marketing into a risk factor for compulsive buying behavior. The findings are based on the current media addiction report, which focuses attention on the need for parental awareness and digital literacy.
