Digital Habits of Middle-Aged Consumers.

For middle-aged consumers, the internet has become a necessity, a space for self-expression, and an additional source of stress.

In 2025, 59% of respondents aged 30–39 and 58% of those aged 40–49 said they could not manage without internet access. Compared with 2016, reliance on the internet has increased in both groups.

The most noticeable change concerns communication preferences. The share of people aged 30–39 who prefer communicating online rose from 34% to 48%. Among those aged 40–49, it increased from 29% to 39%.

Attention to digital identity is also growing. Developing a personal brand is important to 46% of the younger group and 40% of the older group. At the same time, almost half of respondents view targeted advertising as an invasion of privacy.

Digital presence also comes at a cost: 38% of people aged 30–39 and 33% aged 40–49 say the internet significantly increases their daily stress.

These trends affect mature consumers with established habits and significant purchasing power.

For brands, this creates a difficult balance: being personal without becoming intrusive, convenient without being exhausting, and visible without undermining privacy.

Are brands currently managing to maintain this balance?

Data processed by Media Systems