February 28th, 2019, London - New research from Tinder has found that Gen Z and young millennials are bucking the trend when it comes to the ongoing quest to find love; instead, they are making a conscious and active choice to fly solo and embrace being single.  And they are pretty happy about it, with 1 in 3 associating being single with being happy and their solo status giving young adults a sense of adventure, independence, and empowerment.

The research, released today, has found that more than two-thirds (70%) of 18-25-year-olds are making a conscious decision to be single for a period of time so that they can focus on other aspects of their lives. The data showed that respondents are using their single freedom to prioritize their own personal needs (48%), e.g. focus on studying and achieving a degree (41%). Not only do they feel positive about their singledom, but an overwhelming majority of young adults agree that being single benefits them beyond their romantic lives (82%). These benefits include being more dedicated in their work, making new friends and having more time for personal wellness.

UK singletons are also more relaxed and carefree, with more than half (52%) saying that they view themselves as more fun as a result of their single status. The feeling could be catching, with nearly half (46%) of singles saying most of their friends are single too and for those that have hesitations, almost a third (32%) said becoming boring was a major concern. The survey found that nearly half (48%) of young people are cautious about entering into a long-term relationship, with one of the biggest concerns being that they would lose their independence (41%).

Tinder’s Dating and Relationship Trend Expert, Dr. Darcy Sterling, says "Gen Z and young millennials are very aware of the opportunities this world has to offer. Friends, work and school are all important elements that help build their happiness, with excelling in their personal lives being their biggest focus, often prioritizing it ahead of relationships. Now young people see a relationship as an added bonus to their already successful and positive lives, rather than the center of their universe, which is certainly a paradigm shift from a few generations ago. They also don’t just see dating as a means to potentially meet a long-term partner, with many using dating as a form of self-discovery and confidence building.”

In particular, women were more likely to say that being single makes them feel independent (56% compared to 40% of men). While young women are more likely than men to agree that historically society/media have portrayed ‘being single’ negatively (50% compared to 36% of men), their positive feelings towards their solo status and current shifts in pop culture are promising for the next generation of females. In fact, 1 in 3 respondents associate single with being happy. And more than half (53%) say a single life makes them more confident/comfortable with who they are.

Jenny Campbell, Tinder's Chief Marketing Officer commented: “What’s most telling is that Gen Z and young millennials are savoring this time in their lives more than any other generation, recognizing how valuable it is for them. With the Single, Not Sorry campaign, we want to champion these decisions and show that being single can be an exciting time in someone's life, one of unapologetic self-discovery and acceptance."

However this doesn't mean young people aren't dating, an overwhelming 87% are going on 1-2 dates a week, with nearly 1 in 3 (31%) saying the main reason they go on a date is to learn more about themselves and what they like in a potential partner.

Dating also has its perks, with more than one-fifth of men and women believing that dating has made them more spontaneous. Women have also been seeing a benefit when it comes to their confidence, with nearly a third (31%) saying they felt significantly more confident and comfortable with who they are as a result of dating.

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About the research:

The research conducted by VIGA surveyed 500 people across the UK between January 9 -17, 2019. For this survey, 500 respondents were asked general questions to explore their attitudes towards being single, dating and dating culture. The study targeted consumers between the ages of 18-25 years old who are currently single.

About Tinder

Launched in 2012, Tinder is the world's leading social app for meeting new people. With its global reach, people in more than 190 countries around the world are swiping right to connect with others. Each day, 26 million matches are made on Tinder with more than 30 billion matches made to date. In December 2014, Tinder had zero paying members and it has rapidly grown to more than 4 million subscribers today, making it a top 5 grossing non-gaming app globally.