UK consumer concerns over online privacy are growing with 94% of consumers worried and 54% more concerned than a year ago, new research has shown.

Additionally, the latest TRUSTe UK Consumer Data Privacy study - which surveyed over 1,000 UK adults following the arrival of the EU Cookie law - found 27% of consumers are more concerned with mobile privacy than website data security.

According to the research, consumers engage less with companies they do not trust – leading to lower purchases (29%), app downloads (68%) and sharing of information (86%).

Consumers also reward companies for good privacy practices with 51% more inclined to click on an advertisement that gives them the option to opt out of online behavioural advertising , said the study.

Chris Babel, CEO at TRUSTe, said: “The recent EU Cookie Directive has put third party tracking and online behavioural advertising under the spotlight in the UK and forced advertisers, publishers and brands to consider their data privacy practices and how they communicate these to their consumers.

“Although our research shows that consumer concern in the UK is growing, it is reassuring to see how positively consumers respond to advertisers who adopt self-regulation schemes such as the EDAA programme and seek out businesses that demonstrate a commitment to good privacy practices through an independent privacy certification programme.”