73 per cent of consumers now allow apps to access their mobile’s location, with 11 per cent saying they always allow apps access.

According to a survey of 2,000 UK adults, carried out by Censuswide and commissioned by Verve, 40 per cent of people share their device’s location with weather apps, while 33 per cent share location with transport apps. Despite this, 34 per cent of consumers say they will remove an app if they poorly targeted ads.

“It’s clear consumers are becoming more accustomed to the idea of sharing their device’s location with apps, in exchange for useful or personalised services,” said Ian James, general manager of international at Verve. “This information is extremely valuable and creates huge opportunities for publishers, but also advertisers who want to engage customers with memorable and personalised experiences.”

The research also found that 77 per cent of respondents said that it’s important that the brand behind an app is known and trustworthy in order for them to share their location. In addition, 60 per cent find it important that they know their information is stored securely, 59 per cent want to be in control of when their location is used, 55 per cent want to be assured their data is anonymised, and 52 per cent want to know how their information is used.

The desire for transparency for consumers isn’t the only barrier in the way for advertisers. 64 per cent of consumers say that concerns around privacy make them less inclined to share their phone’s location, and 39 per cent are concerned their battery life will be drained.

“To retain consumer trust and permission, publishers must be transparent about how that data is used, and brands must ensure resulting ads are both well-targeted and relevant,” said Jams. “Too often today, location data used by advertisers is not of a high enough quality to support this – the industry has to step up its game to truly unlock the power and value of location marketing.”