UK and US brands are failing to optimize their websites for viewing on mobile devices, according to a new Netbiscuits report into consumer behaviour on the web. The research, featuring more than 6,000 consumers across six different regions –  UK, US, China, Germany, India and Brazil – found that almost half of UK and US respondents felt that brands are failing to optimize their websites for viewing on mobile devices. More than half of respondents in these countries also said they would leave a website if content was not optimized for their device.

On a more positive note, over half of all global respondents said they would be happy to exchange privacy information with brands if it led to an improved online experience, with Brazil (61 per cent) and the UK (56 per cent) leading the way. As consumers continue to use a range of devices to access website content, close to 60 per cent of respondents said they would be comfortable with websites tracking them across multiple devices if the process was anonymous and led to a better online experience.

The report also found that the tablet is the mobile device used most regularly to make online purchases in the US (42 per cent) and UK (44 per cent). In Germany, the smartphone is the top device for buying on the web at (40 per cent), while the feature phone is the choice of the masses in China (44 per cent), India (65 per cent) and Brazil (52 per cent).

Unsurprisingly, the US (59 per cent) and UK (54 per cent) led the way in terms of consumer interest in using Apple Pay to make mobile payments. Germany and China showed the least appetite, while emerging markets India and Brazil saw over 50 per cent of respondents happy to use the technology.

Neither the UK nor Germany showed a great deal of appetite for making a wearables purchase in the next 12 months, with 49 per cent and 54 per cent respectively saying they disagree they plan to buy anything. Another 17 per cent from each country said they were unsure.

“The recent Google Mobilegeddon announcement and the findings of our report should be enough to make digital marketers sit up and realize that they need to prioritize mobile optimization, not only to stay in Google’s good books but also to deliver experiences that will keep their customers happy and engaged,” said Netbiscuits CEO, Daniel Weisbeck. “Consumers are becoming ever more willing to give up personal data if it means they can receive a great service across any of the devices they choose to engage on. Brands now need to build up a better understanding of how their customers engage online, including how both the visitor device and context impact conversion and engagement in the multi-screen world.”