One in three consumers have been affected by retail cyberattacks in the last twelve months, according to data released by the Retail Technology Show (RTS).
Research by RTS, which surveyed over 1000 shoppers, highlighted that 36 per cent of customers were warned by retailers that their data had been compromised. This figure rose to 53 per cent for Gen Z shoppers.
It also showed that 33 per cent of consumers were told by stores that their personal information had been stolen and a further 30 per cent reported that their passwords had been breached.
“As the cyber threat continues to rise, consumers now see it as a case of ‘if, not when’ retailers might be hacked,” said Matt Bradley, founder & event director of RTS.
“And increasingly, they accept that both retailers and shoppers have a role to play to prevent cyber incidents. The rising prevalence of cybercrime means customers are now more sympathetic to brands when hacks occur and, as we saw in the case of M&S last year, will rally to support the retailer in the aftermath – but only as long as the retailer acts quickly and with integrity.”
According to the RTS, cyberattacks have risen by 129 per cent in the past year, with the National Cyber Security stating it had handled four major incidents a week in 2025, this included the attack on M&S, who were forced to stop trading online for nearly four months and Co-op.
The data highlighted that 76 per cent of shoppers viewed cybercrime as a threat to retail firms and 77 per cent believed retailers should invest more into keeping customers and businesses safe from cybercrime.
However, 47 per cent of respondents stated that they weren’t always “security savvy” when shopping online and 52 per cent reused the same passwords across multiple accounts.
The research also reported that while 44 per cent of consumers said cyber-attacks reduced their trust in brands, 67 per cent stated that they would continue shopping at retailers who quickly resolved the issue.
Two-thirds also said that open, honest conversations after the incident would help to regain their trust.
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