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What does your supermarket know about you?

Because soon the Government might know too.

According to a story in the Daily Telegraph the Government’s health experts want to use loyalty card data to provide targeted information to people about their diet and general health.

David Halpern, the head of the Whitehall team known as the ‘nudge unit’, told the paper: ‘If you go and buy your stuff regularly, they [the supermarkets] know exactly what you are buying.’

They do indeed. The issue is then who else can gain access to that knowledge. Apparently the Government is wary of being seen to create any ‘big brother’ style project, but it’s hard to see how this isn’t a privacy issue.

Rather than making obese people take responsibility for their health, this proposal would see the habits of millions of healthy shoppers handed over and  held by the state. If the data is to be any use it will have to come with some personal information and may be far from anonymous.

If the contents of your basket weren’t upto scratch then this data will be fed back and you’ll start seeing targeted health advice, irrespective of whether you go to the gym every day or not.
Supermarket spy sounds more like a gameshow but with loyalty cards tracking your every purchase it’s very much a reality.
Of course, if you want to find out what your supermarket does know about you, why not make a Subject Access Request?
Posted on June 25, 2012 by Big Brother Watch Posted in Data Protection, Databases, Privacy, Technology
  • EU_DICTATORSHIP

    I don’t have a loyality card and I only pay in cash. They know nothing about me.

  • faustiesblog

    Banks (and therefore governments) already have access to our debit and credit card information. Each transaction has an ID, which can be traced back to till information.

    All that data can be mined. I would rather suspect that the government has accessed this information so as to fine-tune taxation-targeting.

    Now imagine what might happen should the government get its way. Those deemed “obese” by the government can be made to pay more for products that the government thinks ‘fatties’ shouldn’t have. A fat tax, if you will – instantly snatched.

    If it is possible, it will happen.

    • Anonymous

      I pay for everything at Tesco in cash, nothing to hide, but why should I pay using plastic? I’ve always used cash and always will.

  • anon

    Cash is definitely king (and no loyalty cards). Using cards leaves a very clear picture of where you go, what you do etc. And loyalty cards retain a list of everything you buy in e.g. Tesco or other supermarkets. The small amount of money you stand to lost by not having a loyalty card is worth it for the anonymity.

  • Cripplegrrl

    Disabled people, pensioners, and anyone forced to use the benefits system need to beware and DUMP THESE CARDS now. If not we will soon be seeing govt press releases accusing disabled people of squandering benefits on cigarettes and booze, and used as an excuse for yet more cuts – or the nightmare of food stamps (already under consideration). It is not as if the ‘rewards’ from these spy cards are worth having.

  • Jillhilly

    Of course they know about you. They watch you come in, they can watch you shop, and they certainly watch you at the check out to ensure you pay. They probably keep an eye on you in the car park as well.

    When you get the cash out of the machine they photograph you as they check your card. Be not deluded!