43 percent of Australians unwilling to share data with retailers

A new report has found nearly 50 percent of Australians are unwilling to share their data with retailers, due to general distrust in the handling of their personal data.  

The result was drawn from a survey of over 2,800 engaged shoppers, and exploring 44 retail-specific loyalty programs, the 40 page Loyalty Insights Report, released on Wednesday 19 June..  

The report not only explores consumer rewards program preferences, but also highlights the challenges facing brands, namely, that even with incentives of all description, majority of shoppers are uncomfortable sharing their data with retailers.  

Rosalea Catterson is the editor of Power Retail. 

“Whilst data security is a major concern for consumers, it offers a key opportunity for retailers to adapt and re-build trust with their customers,” she said. 
 
Loyalty programs such as Woolworths Everyday Rewards and Coles Flybuys, were the most popular loyalty programs with all shoppers surveyed.  

With spending on everyday essentials increasing by 5.4 percent last year, shoppers are on the lookout for any opportunity to save money, with one respondent saying, “Groceries are a big expense and being rewarded for buying products that are a basic need is helpful.” 

When it came to generational preferences, the report found that 67 percent of Gen Z respondents believed that loyalty programs provided a high level of value. This generation also had the highest engagement with loyalty programs out of any generation surveyed.  

For more information, read the full report here.