Almost half of UK retail workers unsure of how to handle data in line with GDPR

Date:
Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:35:00 +0000

Description:
Large portions of retail workers haven't been trained on GDPR or wouldn't
feel confident handling sensitive customer information.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Around half of UK retail
workers don't feel confident with GDPR tasks One in five haven't received formal compliance training Many workers can't remember what their training involved Nearly half (44%) of UK retail workers say they're not confident in handling sensitive customer data or don't know how to process it correctly, raising potential compliance issues, per Virtual College research.

According to the data, nearly one-fifth (19%) of retail workers have never received formal compliance training despite handling customer banking
details, contact information and other personal data daily. And those who
have been trained say it's been sporadic without regular updates only one in three (30%) have been trained within the last six months, with a further 11% trained 7-11 months ago. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Retail workers aren't up to speed on GDPR The report raises questions around the frequency and effectiveness of such training, because nearly one in five
(17%) couldn't remember what their last compliance training covered. Only 13% say it covered safeguarding.

And while training is still being delivered to many, only around half (49%) say they'd feel 'somewhat confident' in responding correctly to a compliance situation. You may like The cybersecurity boom hiding a growing privacy
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This data also comes at a similar time to Government data revealing that more than two in five (43%) businesses have experienced some kind of cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months, highlighting the vulnerability of personal and sensitive information.

"Ongoing, bite-sized training keeps compliance knowledge fresh and helps employees stay confident in fast-changing regulatory environments," Business and Strategy Director Jamie Ashforth wrote, urging employers to conduct regular audits to identify gaps. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news
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Per the report, UK companies paid 490 million in compliance failure fines in 2025, but broader impacts of regulatory investigations and knock-on reputational damage are also highly plausible outcomes.

Ashforth suggests businesses should prioritize high-risk compliance areas first, including data protection and safeguarding. "Clear processes and regular reinforcement give employees the confidence to raise concerns and act appropriately when issues arise." Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/almost-half-of-uk-retail-workers-unsure-of-how-t o-handle-data-in-line-with-gdpr


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