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That moment I realized my grocery store loyalty card was tracking everything

Last month I was at the register at Kroger and the cashier goes 'hey, you're almost out of that gluten free pasta you bought last time, want a coupon for it?' and I just froze. It hit me how much data they're collecting from a simple rewards card. I know it's convenient but I switched to cash and generic cards instead. Anybody else feel weird about how much stores track our habits through those things?

3 comments

3 Comments

lily23012d ago

Wait, has anyone looked into whether these stores sell your purchase data to insurance companies now? I heard a rumor that some health insurers are buying it to adjust premiums based on what you buy.

davis.linda12d ago

I was almost out of that gluten free pasta" - that's the part that got me too. I actually work with numbers all day so I know exactly how much they can piece together from your purchases. I started using a different card number each month, just type in a random one from a generator app I found. The cashiers look at me funny sometimes but I don't care. It's not about being paranoid, just feels like I should have some say in what they know about my eating habits.

rosed3210d ago

I work with numbers all day so I know exactly how much they can piece together" - see, that's the whole point, they're using that data to give me coupons for stuff I actually buy. A little creepy maybe, but I'd rather get a deal on my favorite chips than have them guess wrong.