GDPR prompts greater consumer awareness of data

Two-thirds ( 65%) of British adults said GDPR would prompt them to have a ‘spring clean’ of the companies who hold their data, the study of 1,000 British adults found.

Awareness of the new laws has increased in the past three months, with 52% of consumers surveyed claiming to understand how GDPR will affect them, compared with 27% in February.

This heightened understanding has led to an increase in consideration from consumers when it comes to how businesses are using their personal information, according to the research. Over half ( 57%) said GDPR would make them “think twice” about whether to give businesses access to their personal data, while 63% said the introduction of the new laws is leading them to question how much data others hold on them.

Additionally, 43% of respondents stated that they would exercise their ‘right to be forgotten’ following GDPR, rising to 50% for 18- to 24-year-olds.

Frances Revel, associate director of insight at the7stars, said: “Consumers look set to use GDPR as a reason to passively spring-clean the relationships they allow brands to have with them, and it indicates that we will need to work much harder to justify why we, as marketers, have access to their personal information.”