A survey commissioned by American Express finds that social media drives large numbers of visits to UK shops and hospitality venues each year. The figures reported by multiple outlets say shoppers collectively make about 1.7 billion high street visits annually as a result of social-media influence. The reporting also states that nearly two-thirds of adults have visited a shop or hospitality venue within the past year after being influenced by social media.
Across the coverage, the study’s headline metrics are consistent: frequent engagement with social platforms is linked to real-world consumer activity, including purchases and visits to retail and hospitality businesses. The outlets do not describe the methodology in detail in the provided excerpts, nor do they specify the platforms most associated with these effects. However, all sources attribute the findings to American Express and present them as a measure of how online content translates into offline footfall.
The articles therefore converge on the same overall message: a substantial share of adults report making in-person visits that they connect to social-media influence, contributing to an estimated 1.7 billion visits per year.
