Stealing the show: one in 10 festival-goers will leave tech unguarded in tents
With the average festival attendee’s gadgets being worth £842, experts warn this could be a big invitation to thieves
New research from Go.Compare has found that just over one in ten (11%) festival-goers leave valuable gadgets such as phones, cameras, and laptops in their tents while they go and enjoy the events.*
As music fans look forward to the return of Glastonbury Festival this month, plus Leeds, Reading, Green Man and others this summer, new research has found that most will be taking their favourite gadgets - with 28% of people taking one gadget, more than a third (36%) taking two, and a little over one in five (22%) taking three.
The data shows that on average, festival-goers are taking tech worth an average of £841.91 - but many may be failing to keep it safe, either by leaving gadgets in their tent as an easy target for thieves, or carrying them around.
More than one in ten people (11%) admitted they plan to leave gadgets unguarded in their tents while they watch their favourite acts live, while 59% plan to simply carry them around, potentially inviting pickpockets. A further one in ten people (10%) will be stashing their gadgets in bras or clothing, and 3% admitted they won’t be taking any steps to secure their tech at all.
The data also reveals that it is men who are more likely to take the risk – with 14% of men leaving gadgets in their tents, compared to just 6% of women.
Nathan Blackler, Go.Compare home insurance spokesperson, said: “Festivals are all about enjoyment and making memories but the fun quickly fades if you end up dealing with the hassle of lost, stolen, or damaged gadgets. It’s interesting to see that 11% of festival-goers are happy to leave expensive items in their tents unsecured - that’s music to thieves’ ears and not something we recommend.
“To help keep your belongings safe while you're away, we suggest taking a few simple precautions:
- Keep valuables secure and out of sight: Secure your tech by using a designated property lock-up when available, or by safely storing gadgets in a locked car. Keep in mind that leaving belongings unattended anywhere, such as in a tent, could result in your insurance claim being denied.
- Check if your home insurance includes personal possessions cover outside the home: Many policies don’t cover gadgets once you leave the house. However, you can usually add this type of protection for a small extra cost, giving you peace of mind while you’re out and about.
- Be vigilant: Keep your phone, money, and ID on you at all times in a secure, zipped bag like a cross-body bag or a bumbag. At night, make sure valuables are tucked away somewhere safe, for instance the bottom of your sleeping bag, where they can’t easily be reached.
- Consider travel insurance for extra peace of mind: Travel insurance isn’t only useful for holidays abroad. It can also help cover the costs of a UK holiday that’s gone wrong too, whether it’s cancelled accommodation or lost and stolen belongings."
For more information about covering personal possessions outside the home, visit: https://www.gocompare.com/home-insurance/guide/personal-possessions-insurance/.
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 nationally representative UK respondents (aged 16+). 839 who said they were planning to attend or possibly planning to attend a festival this year. The data was collected between 30.05.2025 - 03.06.2025. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
For further information, please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@gocompare.com
Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on X (Twitter); @GoCompare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.