Word of mouth beats paid influence: 65% of UK shoppers trust user reviews over influencer endorsements

1 September 2025, London, UK – Independent customer reviews and user-generated content (UGC) carry more weight in British shoppers’ purchasing decisions than celebrity or influencer marketing according to new research from Akeneo, the Product Experience (PX) company and leading provider of Product Information Management (PIM) solutions.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of UK consumers say they have 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. And, despite the prevalence of sponsored posts and branded content in product marketing, the power of influencer endorsements over British shoppers has declined over the past two years – in 2023, 54% of respondents reported having made a purchase based on influencer content compared to 50% in 2025.

However, positive customer reviews don’t happen by accident – they’re built on the back of accurate product information. 66% of UK shoppers say that discrepancies between the product they receive and its description are a key reason for leaving negative reviews, with 40% of respondents saying they had returned an item in the past year because the product details were inaccurate or misleading. While Akeneo’s data shows the return rate driven by poor product information has decreased from 49% in 2023 – it 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,” commented Romain Fouache, CEO at Akeneo.

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%).

“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,” commented Fouache.

PX Insights is Akeneo’s monitoring solution that connects real-world customer behaviour, sentiment, and shopping signals directly to product data inside Akeneo PIM, giving brands actionable feedback to improve performance and engagement.

For more insights into the importance of product experience in driving loyalty and conversion, download Akeneo’s latest report – The Evolution of the Modern Shopper .

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Methodology: Akeneo surveyed 1,800 consumers online across eight countries (the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, and Italy), including 250 respondents in the United Kingdom in April 2025 in partnership with 3 Gem Research and Insights.