Five takeaways on the UK’s relationship with ageing from YouGov’s new anti‑ageing report

What drives negative assumptions about ageing? How do they impact our behaviour when it comes to anti-ageing treatments and supplements?

YouGov’s new Forever Young: Anti‑Ageing Report 2026 offers an interesting glimpse into our relationship with ageing, and the ways cultural pressure and commercial messages interact with persistent ageism in the UK. Here are five takeaways from the report.

1. People in the UK are less concerned with tackling the signs of ageing than other countries

Despite living in one of the most ageist media environments in the world*, people in the UK are less likely than those in other countries to think preventing the signs of ageing is important. According to YouGov’s new report, only 34% say it matters - the lowest of all 17 countries surveyed.

Could this mean that many people aren’t buying into anti‑ageing messages? Well, given the widespread nature of ageism and the significant cultural pressure to appear youthful, we can’t be so sure. Our research last year found that more than one in ten people (15%) aged 45 and above would consider getting plastic surgery to look younger if it helped them to get a job or a promotion – so context certainly matters.

2. Beauty industry language still frames ageing as a problem

The report is largely written for the beauty industry, so it’s no surprise that it uses terms like ‘preventers,’ ‘maintainers,’ and ‘indifferents’ to categorise respondents. But this framing is telling.

People who choose not to spend money on anti‑ageing products are labelled ‘indifferent,’ rather than something more positive - like ‘comfortable, ‘content,’ or maybe even ‘age‑positive.’ The language chosen reinforces the idea that ageing is something to fight, and that not resisting it is a kind of failure. We know that the words we use shape how we feel about ageing. When commercial language negatively suggests ageing is something to hide, it adds strength to the very stereotypes that need to be challenged.

3. Appearance is a key driver of people engaging with ‘anti-ageing' treatment

YouGov found that the biggest reason people might consider anti-ageing treatment or supplements was for improving skin appearance (31%), above concerns about maintaining health and vitality (26%). Boosting confidence (22%) and preventing signs of ageing (22%) also featured highly. This indicates that the starting point for many when it comes to ‘anti-ageing’ is visual and appearance based, which chimes with our research into the effects of ageism.

We found that one of the most common ways people experience ageism is in comments about their appearance. For example, being told “you look good for your age” (55%) or “you don’t look your age” (46%). Comments like these can reinforce the misconception that ageing is bad or that we should be ashamed of our appearance if it does not conform to a particular ideal – and this is big business for the beauty industry.

4. Gender and generational differences reveal additional pressures

The report shows clear gender divides: women are significantly more likely to feel pressure around ageing and to engage with anti‑ageing products. That’s no surprise given the ‘double whammy’ of ageism and sexism, and the disproportionate scrutiny women face around appearance.

Generational differences are also striking. The proportion of people with a ‘prevent’ mindset drops steadily from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. This raises important questions: are younger people facing increased pressure to ‘fight ageing’ earlier than ever? Or is this a life‑stage effect that fades with time? Either way, it highlights how ageism intersects with gender and age, shaping people’s perceptions and experiences differently.

5. Many people feel ageing is out of their control

Many people see the way they age is something fixed; more than half of YouGov’s UK respondents (52%) believe ageing is mostly determined by genetics.

Considering the well‑documented links between healthy life expectancy, wealth, and where you live, as demonstrated by the Centre for Ageing Better’s State of Ageing reports, it’s easy to see why people might feel fatalistic. But this has consequences: if ageing well feels predetermined, people may disengage from lifestyle and routine changes which can have a positive impact on ageing - not because they don’t care, but because they don’t feel they have agency.

This is a challenge not just for individuals, but for policymakers. Creating environments where people can age well regardless of postcode or income is an issue of equity.

What we see and hear about ageing shapes how we feel about it. When industries, media, and culture frame ageing as a time of frailty and decline, we can internalise those messages and assumptions – with very real impacts.

Ageism isn’t inevitable. It’s learned. And because it’s learned, it can also be unlearned. By asking questions, we can challenge ageism. And when we challenge it, we start to change it. Find out how you can challenge ageism today.

*A study of the use of language related to older age in web-based magazines and newspapers found that of 20 countries, the UK was the most ageist of all. Read more.

Written by Kate Flanagan, Campaign and Engagement Officer at Age Without Limits