- Around half of UK retail workers do not feel confident about GDPR tasks
- One in five have not received formal compliance training
- Many workers do not remember what their training entailed
Almost half (44%) of UK retail workers say they are unsure about handling sensitive customer data or don’t know how to process it properly, raising potential compliance issues, according to Virtual College research.
According to the data, almost a fifth (19%) of retail workers have never received formal compliance training, despite handling customer bank details, contact details and other personal data on a daily basis.
And those who have been trained say it has been sporadic with no regular updates – only one in three (30%) have been trained in the last six months, while another 11% have been trained 7-11 months ago.
Retail workers are not up to date on GDPR
The report raises questions about the frequency and effectiveness of such training because almost one in five (17%) could not remember what their last compliance training covered. Only 13% say it covered protection.
And while training is still provided to many, only about half (49%) say they would feel ‘somewhat confident’ in responding appropriately to a compliance situation.
This data also comes at the same time as government data revealing that more than two in five (43%) businesses have experienced some form of cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months, highlighting the vulnerability of personal and sensitive information.
“Ongoing, small-scale training keeps compliance knowledge fresh and helps employees stay confident in rapidly changing regulatory environments,” wrote Business and Strategy Director Jamie Ashforth, urging employers to conduct regular audits to identify gaps.
According to the report, UK companies paid £490 million in fines for non-compliance by 2025, but wider effects of regulatory investigations and reputational damage are also very plausible outcomes.
Ashforth suggests companies should prioritize high-risk compliance areas first, including data privacy and protection. “Clear processes and regular reinforcement give employees the confidence to raise concerns and act appropriately when problems arise.”
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