One in six UK consumers say lost trust in a brand can’t be repaired

Reputation Leaders’ Vantage Point UK Edition 2026 says trust in brands is shaped most by product quality, reliability and customer service. The September 2026 survey of 1,000 UK adults also shows rising caution around brand controversies, cybersecurity risks and AI-generated communications.

Why it matters: - Trust is now a harder asset to regain. One in six UK consumers, or 17%, say once they stop trusting a brand, they cannot be won back. - The findings suggest brands face real commercial risk when trust slips, with many shoppers becoming more cautious or avoiding uncertain brands altogether. - The report also shows that trust can still be rebuilt after a crisis, but only through fast, transparent and human responses.

What happened: - Reputation Leaders released The Vantage Point UK Edition 2026, a report based on a September 2026 survey of 1,000 UK adults. - Amazon ranked first in the UK Trusted Brands Index, named by 14% of respondents who identified a trustworthy brand. - Tesco, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Apple followed Amazon in the trust ranking. - Product quality, reliability and customer service were the main drivers of perceived trustworthiness.

The details: - Nearly a third of UK adults, 32%, said they avoid buying from brands they are unsure about. - Almost two-thirds, 64%, said they buy with added caution. - The Marks & Spencer April 2025 cybersecurity breach was the most top-of-mind crisis, cited by 12% of those who could recall an incident. - The report says M&S’s high trust ranking shows that a single crisis does not always permanently damage a brand. - The most recalled crises in the UK involved data privacy, AI or cybersecurity threats, safety issues, or political controversy. - Rebuilding trust after a crisis starts with listening to affected people, cited by 38% of respondents. - Explaining what went wrong and why mattered to 35%. - A long-term solution mattered to 33%. - Other trust repair signals included consistently delivering on promises, greater transparency and quickly admitting mistakes. - News, web search and social media were the main sources people used to follow brand controversies. - Gen Z leaned most on social media, with TikTok leading at 46%. - Older cohorts relied more on news and web search. - The top traits that make CEO communication credible were apologising when appropriate, at 41%, being open to questions, at 40%, and showing that employees and customers are heard, at 39%. - When asked what reputation risks UK businesses should prioritise, 59% of UK adults pointed to cybersecurity or data-privacy breach planning. - Another 47% cited misinformation, disinformation or deep-fakes. - Forty percent flagged supply-chain and geopolitical trade disruption. - That risk question was based on December 2025 survey data from 2,074 Brits. - Forty-three percent said AI-driven brand communications feel less authentic. - Thirty-one percent said some AI is acceptable if people are involved too. - Live, unedited video Q&As, chosen by 45%, and simple declarations of human authorship, chosen by 35%, were the strongest ways to build confidence in human-led communications. - When asked who they want to hear from to trust a brand more, customers led at 40%. - Independent experts followed at 36%, and customer service at 34%. - Influencers and journalists ranked lower for trust-building, at 18% and 13% respectively.

Between the lines: - The report suggests trust is becoming more fragile at the point of purchase, not just after a scandal. - It also shows that reputation recovery depends less on polished messaging and more on visible accountability. - AI may help brands communicate at scale, but the survey indicates audiences still want proof that a real person is behind the message.

What's next: - Brands are likely to keep investing in crisis preparation for cybersecurity, data privacy and misinformation risks. - Communications teams may also need to lean harder on employees, customers and independent experts when trying to rebuild trust. - As AI use grows, brands will need clearer signals of human oversight if they want communications to feel credible.

The bottom line: - UK consumers still trust brands, but many are harder to win back once confidence is lost. The strongest defense is consistent performance, honest communication and visible human accountability.