Transformative services as sites of consumer harm

Transformative services have the power to shape lives, often with the goal of enhancing wellbeing. However, their potential to unintentionally generate illbeing remains underexplored. This study investigates life regrets as a negative unintended consequence of transformative service engagement. Life regrets are enduring harms such as psychological, social, or material harms that emerge during or after such experiences. Drawing on 30 semi-structured, convergent interviews, participants reflected on a transformative service that resulted in regret. Thematic analysis revealed a spectrum of illbeing, with contributing factors including organisational practices such as time pressure, siloed decision-making, partial information disclosure, and gaslighting consumers by overpromising outcomes. These findings challenge the prevailing assumption that transformative services are inherently beneficial. Given that consumers typically engage these services during periods of vulnerability and life transition, greater attention is needed to their potential to inflict harm. This research calls for a more balanced understanding of transformative services, being one that accounts for both positive and negative outcomes. Doing so will better equip providers to anticipate and address risks, ensuring that services intended to support do not inadvertently harm. Recognising and mitigating life regret can enhance the ethical and practical integrity of transformative service design.