New research conducted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) has revealed the failure of GDPR to sufficiently reduce the amount of unwanted mail in people’s inboxes.

Of those surveyed, 42% say they still get contacted by businesses with whom have not consented to share their data in the six months since GDPR was implemented. In May, months before the GDPR was in force, 48% of people said the same, an insubstantial difference, which showcases a failing of GDPR. CIM’s research is the first one to compare GDPR’s impact by analysing data from the periods before and after GDPR took effect.

Chris Daly, chief executive of the CIM, says, “GDPR is the most important change in data privacy regulation in 20 years, but our research raises serious questions about its impact on consumer confidence. Data provides marketers with vital consumer insights. Its exchange also benefits consumers, who receive more relevant, even personalised, information but while advantages may be clear, trust in business to deliver, is not.”

The results reconfirm a continuous lack of trust towards businesses. Only 24% of participants think their data is being used responsibly and with transparency, a small increase from the 18% that believed the same when GDPR was enforced.

Surprisingly the most amount of trust was detected among the younger demographic, with 33% of 18-24 and 34% of 24-35 year olds trusting businesses with their data, a significant difference of the 17% of people over 55.

The minimal impact of GDPR on public trust shows that instead of the Information Commissioner's Office using laws and fines to inspire trust, a campaign with the objective of bringing awareness on the issue of trust to businesses across the UK, needs to take place, according to CIM

Furthermore, 50% of participants believe that the introduction of GDPR has provoked them to take action by unsubscribing or knowingly avoiding to opt in to marketing communications altogether, instead of simply ignoring unwanted mail and communications.

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