Singapore consumers ‘quietly’ abandon brands after losing trust

Additionally, the study found that some 42.1% of Singapore consumers said they abandoned a brand because it failed to deliver on its promises, compared with 23.2% who cited poor business ethics and 14.4% who left over exaggerated environmental or sustainability claims.

Singapore also emerged as one of the region’s strongest institutional-trust markets.

Sixty-one percent of respondents said government sources, politicians and public officials were highly believable, compared with 26% across Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Meanwhile, 82.4% said official or evidence-backed sources were the main factor in believing new information, whilst only 12.7% viewed social media as highly believable.

When brands make mistakes, consumers expect action before words. More than half (56.2%) said brands must fix problems before they would trust them again, compared with 46.8% who said a public acknowledgement or apology was enough.

At the same time, 78.7% believe brands can regain lost trust, whilst 15.1% said trust, once lost, cannot be restored.

The report also highlighted generational differences. Millennials were the most likely to stop engaging with brands after losing trust, with 68% saying they had done so in the past year.

Meanwhile, Baby Boomers placed the greatest trust in government and institutional sources but were also the most likely to stop purchasing once trust was broken.

Gen Z consumers were more willing to give brands another chance but expected stronger proof of change through corrective action and transparent communication.

Richard Brett, president of PR & Influence, Ogilvy Asia Pacific, said believability has become a commercial imperative as consumers increasingly expect brands to back up their claims with evidence and consistent delivery.

“Singapore is a particularly important market because believability here is deeply anchored in institutional credibility and operational delivery,” he said. “Consumers may not always complain publicly when belief is lost, but they will act – and often, they will act silently.”

Akashah Q, managing director for PR & Influence, Social at Ogilvy Singapore and Malaysia, said brands should not mistake a lack of public complaints for customer satisfaction, as consumers are more likely to leave quietly than voice their dissatisfaction.

“Singaporeans are careful when assessing proof – they value official sources, factual correctness and operational competence,” he noted.

The study, conducted in partnership with YouGov, surveyed 7,176 adults across Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Mainland China, including 1,050 respondents from Singapore.