The trust gap after a cyberattack
Key findings
- 50% of consumers would stop using a company after a cyberattack in which customer data was stolen: 46% temporarily, 4% permanently.
- 6% would carry on as normal.
- 67% say a stolen home address is among the things most likely to make them leave, ahead of bank or payment details (51%).
- 75% of business leaders are confident they could maintain customer trust after a significant cyber incident.
Why we asked
In August 2026 ASOS told customers that accounts had been accessed using login details stolen elsewhere, with almost 139,000 customers reported to be affected. It followed a run of attacks on household-name retailers. We wanted to know what customers say they would do next, and whether businesses see it coming.
What do customers do after a data breach?
Most step back. We asked consumers what they would be most likely to do if a company they regularly bought from suffered a cyberattack in which some customer data was stolen.
Nearly half (46%) say they would stop using the company temporarily, until they felt confident the issue was resolved. A further 4% say they would stop permanently.
Around one in five (18%) would keep buying but be more cautious, and 22% say it would depend on what was taken. Only 6% would continue as normal.
Half of consumers would stop buying after a data breach
If a company you regularly bought from suffered a cyberattack in which some customer data was stolen, what would you be most likely to do?
- Stop using the company permanently 4%
- Stop using it temporarily until confident the issue was resolved 46%
- It would depend on what data was stolen 22%
- Continue using it, but be more cautious 18%
- Continue using it as normal 6%
- Don’t know 4%
View data
| Answer | % |
|---|---|
| Stop using the company permanently | 4% |
| Stop using it temporarily until confident the issue was resolved | 46% |
| It would depend on what data was stolen | 22% |
| Continue using it, but be more cautious | 18% |
| Continue using it as normal | 6% |
| Don’t know | 4% |
The encouraging part for businesses is the word "temporarily". Customers who leave for good are rare. Customers who pause are not, and a pause has a revenue cost for as long as it lasts.
Which stolen data would make customers leave?
Where they live. Asked which types of exposed information would make them most likely to stop using a company, two-thirds of consumers (67%) choose their home address. That is 16 points ahead of bank or payment details and location data, on 51% each.
Personal messages or content come next (45%), then passwords or login details (37%) and phone number or email address (35%). Purchase history (9%) and date of birth (5%) barely register. No one said none of these would make them leave.
The order is worth a second look. The ASOS incident began with reused passwords, yet passwords rank fifth. Customers are most sensitive about data that connects to their physical life, and less about the credentials that open the door to it.
A stolen home address worries customers more than stolen bank details
Which types of information being exposed would make you most likely to stop using a company? Select up to three.
Respondents could choose up to three, so figures total more than 100%.
View data
| Answer | % |
|---|---|
| Home address | 67% |
| Bank or payment details | 51% |
| Location data | 51% |
| Personal messages or content | 45% |
| Passwords or login details | 37% |
| Phone number or email address | 35% |
| Purchase history | 9% |
| Date of birth | 5% |
Are businesses ready for the customer reaction?
They think so. We asked business leaders how confident they are that their organisation could maintain the trust of customers after a significant cyber incident. Three in four (75%) are confident: 10% very and 65% fairly. Just 13% are not confident, and 12% don't know.
Three in four business leaders are confident they would keep customer trust
How confident are you that your organisation could maintain the trust of customers following a significant cyber incident?
- Very confident 10%
- Fairly confident 65%
- Not very confident 10%
- Not at all confident 3%
- Don’t know 12%
View data
| Answer | % |
|---|---|
| Very confident | 10% |
| Fairly confident | 65% |
| Not very confident | 10% |
| Not at all confident | 3% |
| Don’t know | 12% |
Note the split inside that 75%. Only one in ten are very confident. The rest are fairly confident, which is the answer people give when they haven't tested it.
What this means
Set the two numbers side by side. Three in four business leaders expect to hold on to trust. Half of consumers say they would stop buying.
Both can be true only if the business gives those customers a reason to come back. As our findings on rebuilding trust show, customers are clear about what that reason is, and it isn't an apology.
For comms and marketing teams, the planning question is not "would we lose customers?" It is "how long would the pause last, and what would shorten it?"
Frequently asked questions
Do customers stop buying from a company after a data breach?
Half say they would. In The Reality Department's polling, 46% of consumers would stop using the company temporarily and 4% permanently.
How many customers leave permanently after a cyberattack?
4% of consumers say they would stop using the company permanently.
Which stolen data are customers most worried about?
Home address. 67% of consumers say an exposed home address would be among the things most likely to make them stop using a company, ahead of bank or payment details and location data (51% each).
Are businesses confident they could keep customer trust after a cyberattack?
Yes. 75% of UK business leaders say they are very or fairly confident they could maintain customer trust after a significant cyber incident.
Methodology
The Reality Department surveyed 500 nationally representative UK consumers and 250 business leaders. Fieldwork: October 2026. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Related: What rebuilds customer trust after a cyberattack?
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