Sales of personal devices is more popular among young people, as the survey found that 31% of 18 to 24-year-olds sell their old mobile phones, computers or laptops to somebody else.

The ICO survey also found that an alarming number of people -- one in 10 -- have disposed of a mobile phone, computer or laptop without deleting their personal information.

Studies of U.S. users .

For instance, about three years ago a New York computer forensics firm found that 40% of the hard disk drives purchased in bulk orders on eBay contained personal information -- ranging from corporate financial data to Web-surfing histories to the downloads of a man with a foot fetish.

The forensics firm, Kessler International, followed its initial study with a second one about a year and a half ago that had roughly the same results.