Clutch Report: Nearly Half of Consumers Distrust Brands Following the Holiday Season

Consumers are demanding transparency as brands struggle to earn trust in data practices.

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--After a holiday season fueled by online shopping, flash sales, and personalized promotions, consumers are rethinking what they traded for convenience. A new Clutch survey of over 400 U.S. consumers finds that while nearly all consumers (95%) shopped online during the 2025 holiday season, trust in how brands handle personal data remains fragile, with almost half (47%) believing brands collect extensive information about them and growing more cautious about how much access companies have to their personal data.

Transparency Is the New Baseline for Brand Trust

Expectations for responsible data use are high. Ninety-eight percent of consumers say transparency is key to brand trust, and 97% expect strict privacy standards, yet one-third do not trust brands to handle their data responsibly.

“Consumers aren’t opposed to sharing data, but they want honesty and accountability,” said Anna Peck, Clutch analyst who manages marketing content. “When transparency falls short, trust erodes quickly.”

Cautious Sharing: Consumers Weigh Value Against Risk

Data sharing is conditional: 46% of consumers are uncomfortable sharing data, while 37% feel neutral. Email is the most trusted, with 65% comfortable sharing it, and 43% will share more for incentives; however, 42% still prefer maximum privacy.

“Consumers are making deliberate tradeoffs,” Peck said. “They’ll share data when the value is clear, but many are choosing privacy over convenience.”

Personalization Fatigue and AI Anxiety Are Eroding Confidence

Personalization is falling flat. Thirty-six percent of consumers say tactics aren’t helpful, 62% find ads that follow them “creepy,” and 41% are uneasy with AI-driven personalization.

Still, nearly 60% say privacy laws have improved brand data practices, and 56% trust brands to delete data when requested, showing trust can be rebuilt.

The full report is available on Clutch.

About Clutch

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