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Scotland Among Least Likely UK Regions for Phone Loss
According to new research undertaken by Uswitch, Scotland is the second-least likely UK region to have a mobile phone lost or stolen in, with just over half (51%) of Scottish respondents saying they’ve lost their phone or had it stolen.
Uswitch’s latest UK-wide study delved into the costly issue of losing mobile phones, gathering several key insights from over 2,000 respondents that go across region, city, and age.
While more than half (56%) of Brits reported that they’ve lost or had stolen at least one mobile phone in their lifetime, the figure from Scottish respondents is lower, with 51% saying they’ve misplaced their handset. Of that number, 41% of respondents said they’ve lost one phone, 7% have lost two, and 3% have lost three phones or more. 49% claimed they’ve never lost a phone at all.
The only other region to be below Scotland’s mark is Wales, coming in at 49%. Northern Ireland, meanwhile, comes in at the top, with 75% of respondents confirming they’ve been parted from at least one phone during their lives – 19% higher than the overall average, and 24% higher than in Scotland.
The study also revealed disparities between Scotland’s two largest cities, with more phones going walkabout in Glasgow than in the capital. 39% of Edinburgh-based respondents said they had one or more phones go missing, while 57% of Glaswegians said the same.
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In terms of common locations of phone loss, the study uncovered that public transport is the leading location for owners to be separated from their phones, with 35% of all respondents saying so. The next most likely location is a shop (28%), then a restaurant or bar (26%), then in a taxi (15%), followed by work (12%) and school (4%).
Further, people aged 25-34 are far more likely (78%) to lose a phone when compared to both older and younger generations.
Finally, the research also underscored the fact that, no matter whether the consumer is in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK, losing a phone is costly business: Of those who had to replace their phone due to loss or theft, 44% reported an estimated cost of up to £250.
