Selling love to Gen Z in the ‘sex recession’ era
where’s Cupid when you need him?
Sexual activity across generations is on the decline for the first time in modern history. As Gen Z avoid intimacy and love, how do marketers sell romance in an era that seems keen to do anything but?'
Love. Dating. Swiping. Apps. Anxiety.
Does any of that sound familiar? For many Gen Zers, the yearning for connection and love is apparently on the decline. A survey last year by a prominent dating agency found that 37% of young single people are not having sex; 64% of Gen Z women who deliberately abstain say they do so partly due to political reasons, and roughly one-fifth of both Gen Z men and women are ‘involuntarily celibate.’
Similarly, research by the Institute for Family Studies (IFS) in 2025 stated that American adults are ‘having less sex than ever,’ a shift that has been underway for well over a decade. In its report, IFS claimed that only one-third of adults aged 18-64 were having sex every week, compared to 55% in 1990. 24% of Gen Z said they hadn’t had sex in over a year, almost double compared to millennials at the same age in 2010.
Young adults today are also now spending only five hours per week socialising, a seven-hour decline from fifteen years ago.
The numbers don’t stop there. Data from the National Survey of Family Growth shows that, between 2022 and 2023, almost one-quarter of all men aged 22 to 34 and 13% of women reported no sexual activity in the past year. Everyone’s keeping to themselves, it seems.
Journalists, marketers, and experts are dubbing this phenomenon the ‘sex recession,’ whereby every generation across the board appears to be less intimate and more eager to avoid romantic interactions than ever. It begs a broader question, however: how do marketers and companies connect with those who are reluctant to build new relationships?
Dating apps like Hinge are experimenting with in-person events in an attempt to resonate with Gen Z, but they’re still struggling to shake the negative associations that come with online matchmaking.
Most young people hate swiping to find a partner, and it is all too easy to be superficial, ghost a potential match, or become overwhelmed with attention. These realities are putting off a sizeable chunk of Gen Z from ever giving dating a go, further dividing men and women in their experiences and perspectives.
Substack writer @magdalene highlights this trend particularly well, discussing the various ways in which brands and creators alike are capitalising on our shifting attitudes toward dating and love.
They note that influencers and grifters are exploiting a growing gap between genders, with more of us now treating the opposite sex with animosity and immaturity well into adulthood. This bizarre, new-age attitude leaves ample space for influencers such as Andrew Tate to thrive, giving way to novel, misogynistic concepts like the ‘manosphere.’ It all culminates in a more divided, sexless environment, where mistrust is rampant and the reluctance to let others in skyrockets.
Intimacy brand Slick’s published its own report on falling rates of sexual activity, concluding that the ‘conditions that enable it have eroded.’ It argues for systematic changes that encourage awkward encounters and diminish the role of online spaces. ‘When sex is easier to avoid, systems must make connection harder to escape,’ the company says. That means more organic, real-world moments and less instant gratification.
It’s important to note that falling rates of sexual activity don’t necessarily mean that the desire for intimacy has fallen. There is a potential market gap for brands to utilise, but they have an uphill battle against a generation that is fiercely independent, prioritises choice and autonomy, and is savvy to the pitfalls of online dating. We still want to get laid, after all, we just might not be as prepared to leave our comfort zone.
The research shows that Gen Z are lonely and burnt out. They’re seeking real-world experiences - like speed dating or running clubs - to find new relationships, but they’re equally avoidant if things become too stressful. Selling romance in its traditional forms, like marriage, materialism, and family-focused living, is a tough ask in our modern climate.
Companies are better off considering new approaches that prioritise tangible connections and low-pressure experiences if they want to hold the attention of a struggling generation. Happy Valentine’s Day, folks, good luck out there!
See also:
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That’s all for this week! Make sure to subscribe for the latest on Gen Z and youth culture, and check out The Common Thred for a weekly roundup of the latest news, trends, and thought pieces.
Thank you so much for sharing!!