A new report claims that word of mouth beats paid influencer endorsement for the majority of UK consumers. And it seems purchases driven by influencer endorsements on social media have declined from 54% in 2023 to 50% of British shoppers in 2025.
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The research was conducted by product experience company Akeneo, which surveyed 1,800 consumers online across the US, UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, and Italy. It spoke to some 250 people in the UK.
The research found that independent customer reviews and user-generated content (UGC) carry more weight in British shoppers’ purchasing decisions than celebrity or influencer marketing.
Some 65% of UK consumers say they’ve made a purchase based on online reviews or comments from fellow shoppers, compared with just 58% who say they’ve been influenced by social media endorsement.
The most popular product categories where UK consumers actively sought out peer-to-peer information included sports and leisure equipment (63%), decorative homewares (58%), luxury goods (56%), and cultural events (55%).
And the aforementioned decline in the number of respondents reported having made a purchase based on influencer content comes despite the prevalence of sponsored posts and branded content in product marketing.
The report also contained a warning: however, they’ve arrived at a product, 66% of UK shoppers say discrepancies between what they receive and its description are a key reason for leaving negative reviews. Some 40% of respondents have returned an item in the past year because the product details were inaccurate or misleading.
That said, Akeneo’s data shows the return rate driven by poor product information has decreased from 49% in 2023. So perhaps product descriptions are improving? Regardless, the company said the data “highlights a key issue in the context of the rapid rise of agentic AI and AI agent-powered shopping, which requires clean and accurate product data to serve item suggestions”.
“From high return rates to abandoned carts, so many of the issues that damage customer trust can be traced back to poor product data. Creating a single source of truth through a robust PIM system, enhanced with AI-driven data governance, empowers retailers to deliver a seamless experience across channels – and sets the foundation for the five-star reviews that increasingly power AI shopping recommendations while also encouraging UK shoppers to purchase,” said CEO Romain Fouache.
He added: “Ultimately, shoppers trust other shoppers. The data makes it clear that UK brands need to encourage reviews, ratings, and organic content like photos or videos from real customers. Brands also need to make sure they are listening and using feedback to improve product information and amplify positive customer voices across channels. This kind of transparency builds community and credibility.”
