High-profile cyber attacks at the likes of M&S and Co-op earlier this year have left consumers worried, with a third of 16-34-year-olds considering changing their shopping habits as a result.
The research, from Globaldata, found that these younger shoppers were the most likely to be considering reducing or stopping shopping online due to concerns about cyber attacks. By contrast, a quarter (24%) of 35–44-year-olds are considering changing how and whether they shop online and only one in ten (10%) of 55-65plus-year-olds will change their behaviour.
Emily Salter, lead retail analyst at GlobalData, said that this variety in reactions is most likely due to the convenience that online offers for older customers. “This is potentially more important to older shoppers who have children and greater pressures on their time, or less ability to visit stores as they age. Younger shoppers also place more emphasis on experiential shopping, so this, combined with security concerns, could push more consumers to stores.”
Worries about personal security
GlobalData’s latest July 2025 UK monthly survey of 2,000 UK consumers showed that 69% of consumers are worried about their personal security as a result of the recent cyber attacks, with 79% of 25-34s the most concerned.
“Younger consumers are more concerned about retailers storing their payment details and think that they are not doing enough to protect their private information when shopping online,” said Salter. “Paying with mobile wallets and third-party providers such as Apple Pay and PayPal is a way that consumers can avoid having to give their payment details directly to retailers. These payment methods are especially popular among under-35s. To allow this, retailers must ensure their websites and apps are compatible with these methods.”
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