51 per cent of young UK adults have purchased an item or experience in the last year because an influencer they follow promoted or discussed it on their social platforms.

According to survey of 2,293 UK adults aged between 18 and 30 – conducted by affiliate network Affilinet – of the 51 per cent, 44 per cent had purchased clothing promoted by an influencer. Meanwhile, 36 per cent had bought make-up or beauty products, 21 per cent video games, 16 per cent furniture, and 12 per cent kitchen appliances or utensils. The average amount disclosed by respondents, as to money spent on an influenced purchase, was £285.

Despite these findings, just nine per cent of respondents admitted to spending money on goods to replicate the look or lifestyle of a celebrity.

“It seems that influencers are the new A-listers when it comes to inspiration for how we dress, look, decorate, cook and live our lives,” said Richard Greenwell, head of affiliate development at Affilinet. “Not only are many YouTubers and bloggers relatable in the sense many of them still live relatively ‘normal’ and down-to-earth lives, there is also the notion in many consumers’ minds that they can much more easily attain the lifestyles of some of the more well-known and successful influencers if they set up their own blog, YouTube channel or Instagram page.”

Overall, the research found that 63 per cent of young UK adults watch or read influencer content at least once a week, with a further 28 per cent doing so on a fortnightly basis. On average, they were found to subscribe to the channels or pages of 18 influencers each.