German consumers prioritize trust in brands and news

A McCann study of 20,713 people in 20 countries found that eight in ten respondents would pay more for a trustworthy brand, while 55 % believe companies are less honest today. Around three‑quarters worry that distinguishing genuine from AI‑generated content will become harder, and 72 % say brands must focus on truth and credibility. The study highlights that transparent use of AI is now seen as a trust issue for marketers.

According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026, 46 % of adult internet users in Germany say they generally trust news, a figure that has remained stable since 2025. Social media contact with news is rising—36 % of adults encounter news on social platforms weekly, and 60 % of 18‑24‑year‑olds do so, with 44 % of that age group naming social media as their main news source. However, trust is higher for news found via search engines (24 %); only 13 % trust news on social media or from AI chatbots. The report notes that social media complement rather than replace traditional news outlets.