Voco Oxford Thames and Voco Oxford Spires hotels have launched a summer competition inviting locals to nominate a family without access to outdoor space for a complimentary stay.

The winning family will enjoy a peaceful overnight break at one of the hotels, which includes a 30-acre riverside estate.

Wendy Procter, cluster general manager for both hotels, said: “Summer should be about making memories outdoors, but not every family has access to a garden or green space at home.

“We wanted to offer a deserving family the chance to enjoy everything a countryside escape has to offer.

“From riverside walks and open lawns to simply relaxing somewhere cool, peaceful and surrounded by nature.”

Both hotels offer different ways to experience Oxford and its surroundings.

Voco Oxford Spires is located near the city centre, making it easy to explore museums, historic colleges, riverside walks and independent cafés.

Guests can return to the comfort of a stylish, air-conditioned hotel close to the city’s attractions.

Voco Oxford Thames provides a more tranquil experience with generous outdoor space, pet-friendly stays, a spa and leisure club, and easy access to both Oxford and the surrounding Oxfordshire countryside.

To enter the competition, readers must email oxfordclustermarketing@ihg.com with a brief explanation of why their nominated family deserves the getaway.

Entries close on July 31.

JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN

News Editor

Braze has published research showing that 43% of UK shoppers are unwilling to share certain personal data with brands, even though 70% still want companies to understand their shopping preferences.

The findings come from a survey of 2,000 UK consumers and are part of a wider study covering five countries. Among those markets, the UK was identified as the most resistant to using artificial intelligence in shopping.

The results highlight a tension between consumers’ desire for more tailored shopping experiences and their reluctance to share the information often used to deliver them. According to the study, 43% of UK shoppers would not share real-time browsing data or AI chat history, even if it could lead to more personalised offers.

At the same time, personalisation remains important for a large majority of consumers. Seven in 10 respondents said it matters that brands understand their preferences, particularly during major retail periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

AI resistance

The research also found mixed views on the use of AI in shopping. While 35% of UK shoppers said they are likely to use AI to find deals or discover new products, a larger share, 43%, said they are unlikely to use such tools at all.

Concerns also extend to physical retail settings. The survey found that 30% of respondents are cautious about AI replacing in-store staff, while 16% said they prefer human interaction and are concerned about AI. A further 13% said AI taking over staff roles would ruin their shopping experience.

This suggests resistance is not limited to data sharing, but also extends to the wider role of automation in customer service and product discovery. For retailers and consumer brands, it underlines the challenge of introducing new technology without weakening trust or disrupting established buying habits.

The UK stood out in the international comparison included in the study, with British consumers the most resistant to using AI among respondents in France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US.

Trust gap

The figures highlight a broader trust gap for brands seeking to deepen customer relationships through digital tools. Retailers have invested heavily in systems that can tailor promotions, recommendations and messaging, but those efforts depend on shoppers being willing to provide consented data.

Consumers appear most reluctant to share data generated beyond direct transactions, including browsing behaviour and AI chat activity. That may leave companies with a narrower pool of signals to work with, even as expectations for relevance and convenience remain high.

For brands, this places more emphasis on first-party data gathered directly through interactions such as purchases, loyalty schemes and app use. It also raises questions about how clearly companies explain data use to customers and whether the value exchange is persuasive enough to overcome privacy concerns.

OnePoll conducted the UK survey among adult consumers during the spring as part of a global poll of 7,000 respondents. The wider study explored consumer attitudes to seasonal shopping across the five markets.

Commenting on the findings, Braze pointed to growing consumer caution over how personal digital behaviour is used.

“British shoppers want brands to understand their preferences, but they are increasingly locking down their personal browsing and AI search histories,” said Nico Berliner, GM UK, Braze.

“This data standoff means the open-web blind spot is growing, making a brand’s first-party data its most valuable asset. It is more important than ever for companies to make the most of the direct, consented data they already have, so they can deliver smooth experiences across channels and build consumer trust,” Berliner said.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

DataX Connect has launched its 2026 Data Centre Salary Survey, adding new questions on gender and career progression.

The survey will examine whether data centre professionals believe their gender has affected their career progression. It follows findings from the previous annual study, which showed women reported lower average salaries than men at every seniority level.

In the 2025 survey, women in senior positions earned 5% less than their male counterparts, while the gap widened to 20% in mid-level roles. The new survey aims to explore the reasons behind those results rather than simply measure pay differences.

The research will also continue to track salaries, bonuses, benefits and working patterns across data centre construction and operations in Europe and the United States. This year, DataX Connect is expanding its regional reporting to provide more detailed market breakdowns.

The move comes as the data centre industry faces pressure to recruit and retain workers for a growing pipeline of projects. Labour shortages remain a central concern, and this year’s survey also asks where new recruits previously worked to identify which industries are supplying talent.

Retention is another focus. Findings from the previous survey suggested pay increases did not necessarily stop staff from planning to leave, pointing to broader concerns about career development and progression.

Pay and progression

More than one in three respondents to the 2025 survey had received a pay rise but still planned to change jobs within 12 months. The study also found that a third of respondents under 35 were already in senior roles, indicating rapid career progression for some younger professionals in the sector.

Those results helped shape the latest questionnaire, which aims to gather more evidence on how workers view advancement, reward and equality. DataX Connect is also seeking stronger regional representation across the US and Europe so it can break out findings by geography and job category in greater detail.

The 2025 edition received more than 1,500 responses from professionals in more than 20 countries, making it, according to DataX Connect, the largest independent study of its kind in the sector. The latest survey has already attracted more than 1,000 responses globally, with less than two weeks remaining in the data collection period.

The questionnaire takes about seven minutes to complete, and responses are anonymous. The findings are due to be published later this year.

Talent pipeline

The survey’s broader agenda reflects a market trying to understand not only what workers are paid, but also how they enter the industry and why they leave. As demand for digital infrastructure continues to drive construction and operations activity, employers are under pressure to compete for engineers, project managers, operations staff and other specialists.

By asking respondents what they did before joining the data centre industry, DataX Connect is trying to map the backgrounds feeding into the workforce. That could give employers a clearer view of alternative talent pools at a time when competition for experienced staff remains intense.

The focus on benefits and working patterns also suggests employers may need to look beyond salary to improve retention. Last year’s findings indicated that compensation alone was not enough for a substantial share of respondents, with career development emerging as a notable factor in decisions to stay or move.

Industry debate

The gender pay findings from the previous survey appear to have become one of the main issues shaping this year’s research. Rather than limiting the exercise to salary benchmarking, the 2026 survey aims to capture how professionals interpret the link between gender and progression in their own careers.

That approach could add context to headline pay data by showing whether respondents believe barriers exist in promotion, access to opportunities or advancement through different stages of the industry. It may also help employers compare pay practices and workplace experiences across regions and seniority levels.

DataX Connect said every response helps build a more accurate picture of pay, progression and equality across the sector.