The relentless data collection push - shopping

[Griffith4ever]

I don't have a nectar card, nor a tesco club card, none of them. I don't have the time nor inclination to be messing about with loyalty points. We are not a big spending family and the discounts are not worth it for us. This has always been "optional". But now, there is an increasing push to make it mandatory.

Tesco started not long ago with "club card" prices. Have a club card or pay a LOT more for your shopping.

We ditched Tesco and moved to Sainsburys because of this.

Now Sainsburys have started the same thing with "Nectar Prices". They have literally doubled the prices of some key items if you don't play the game.

These are not "discounts to reward members" - they are punitive charges ot punish non-members. They very clearly want to plug the gap of anonymous shoppers. Data is very valuable.

We now shop at Aldi and Lidl. I can only assume they will follow suit sooner or later. At lidl last week, "plus card?", "sorry?" "plus card?", "Sorry, I literally have no idea what you are talking about?". Its starting.

I'm guessing sooner or later we are ALL going to have to have ALL of the "loyalty" memberships to avoid being punished by doubled prices?

Screwfix/Toolstation, "can I have your postcode?" , "no"
Crewe, "can I have your email?", "no"
MaccyD's, "points card?", "no"
Halfords, "can I have your email please?", "no"

It is becoming "the norm"

I guess a fake email is needed and then set up the accounts, and then 20 more sodding apps on your phone.

A little update for the usual replies, "what's the big deal", "must be tiring being angry all the time", "why are you paranoid?"

1) It's not a "big deal", but its a raw deal and I don't like being forced to join schemes I don't want to, without being punished by double-prices.
2) I'm not angry - I'm just getting tired of it and refuse to play ball. I'm actually a very happy fellow overall.
3) I dont' care about my shopping habit data - I just don't like being forced to hand it over.

I get it, a lot of people are perfectly happy to have nectar, tesco, esso etc etc point schemes, but I'm not. I don't want them, I don't want the extra accounts, I don't want the extra apps. BUT, the supermarkets are now actively increasing prices for those of us who won't play ball with their schemes - that's the game changer.

Edited by Griffith4ever on Thursday 20th April 11:16

Edited by Griffith4ever on Thursday 20th April 11:17

[anonymous-user]

Yes it’s frustrating but Just be polite and ask for a paper receipt.

The shop workers on £9 an hour really don’t care if you give them an email address or not. They are just there because it pays the bills, not to be part of the big corporate machine.

I’m fortunate to have a good high street with a independent butcher and baker who have no interest in getting purchasing data off me, they just wanting sell meat and bread and pay the bills too, and if Tesco know I like muesli not coco pops, cider more than chips, good luck to them. Eventually I get some vouchers for money off muesli and cider too

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 20th April 09:29

[Jamescrs]

I just politely decline to provide my email address usually and take a paper receipt, no one cares.
I do also have a throw away email account set up I can use if I need to for filtering junk to.

[Griffith4ever]

I think we can take being polite as a given - that's not the point of the thread - I do just say "no" at TS and Macdonalds, I just can't be arsed with anything else any more - got thoroughly fed up with it. They look at you startled in TS when you decline and I've once had it "explained" to me that it's "not for marketing sir". So now I just say "no", and not, "no thanks, I'd prefer not to"

I'd add that its happening not just in shops.

Radioplayer App won't play BBC stations any more. It still will through Alexa - for now. Otherwise - sign up for a BBC account.
Greatest Hits Radio won't stream on your PC now without your email address - they started last week... on a commercial (ad funded) station - this shows how desperate they are to tie in user details with stream data.

[Mr Pointy]

Set up a Gmail address & use dot addressing

Set up [e-mail]

Then just hand out:
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

[menousername]

The film Minority Report always jumps out at me as a potential dystopian reality

Not the pre-arresting part but the fact everywhere they go they are retina-scanned for both tracking and personalised advertising

I used to do everything in cash with paper receipts, through the in-person tills rather than the automated, hoping it would contribute to saving jobs, the continued existence of cash, and protecting anonymity. I am not in the majority though and my small part will not change anything. Just feels futile.

[Sheepshanks]

Mr Pointy said:

Set up a Gmail address & use dot addressing

Set up [e-mail]

Then just hand out:
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

It would take 5 mins to get that across to some till operators!

I hate giving my email address as my surname is complicated.

[Jasandjules]

menousername said:

I used to do everything in cash with paper receipts, through the in-person tills rather than the automated, hoping it would contribute to saving jobs, the continued existence of cash, and protecting anonymity.

Just keep doing it.

I also refuse to provide an email address for a receipt etc..

[sir humphrey appleby]

Same here, every time I buy something from Halfords
“Can I get an email address for the receipt”
“No”
Passes me the receipt.

I was stood behind a customer who had to read out her email address, all done and then gets given a paper receipt anyway.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Griffith4ever said:

... Radioplayer App won't play BBC stations any more. It still will through Alexa - for now. Otherwise - sign up for a BBC account.
Greatest Hits Radio won't stream on your PC now without your email address - they started last week... on a commercial (ad funded) station - this shows how desperate they are to tie in user details with stream data.

Odd that you are concerned about data and personal information, that data being sold and used ruthlessly for marketing and advertising purposes yet you have a connected Alexa speaker.

[dundarach]

Use your car reg @ gmail.com or yahoo.com

(or your last car)

Invariably free, easy to remember and most people you ever need to talk to are familiar with the format and will immediately understand what you've said!

Good old [e-mail] I wonder if you're still going???

[Pitre]

Maybe I'm naive. Maybe there's a lot of paranoia out there. But I don't give a monkeys if Tesco's know that I bought a bag of potatoes, some deodorant, cat food and a pizza etc etc this week, same as last week.

Having said that, I don't give Halfords my email address because I don't like more spam.... do they think we're all stupid?

[Mammasaid]

Have set up [e-mail], password Qwerty10!

Feel free to use it as and when, I'll just be here to laugh at your purchases!

[anonymous-user]

It must be exhausting being perpetually angry at the world.

[abzmike]

Pitre said:

Maybe I'm naive. Maybe there's a lot of paranoia out there. But I don't give a monkeys if Tesco's know that I bought a bag of potatoes, some deodorant, cat food and a pizza etc etc this week, same as last week.

Having said that, I don't give Halfords my email address because I don't like more spam.... do they think we're all stupid?

Pretty much my view. I use Tesco because they are the only supermarket within 20 miles, with Clubcard the weekly total goes from 100 to 85 quid, and I get a tenner voucher every couple of months. If the price I pay is that they know I eat a lot of cheese and penguins, it's not a big stress for me. As for emails, I have a 'shopping' account with about 30000 unread messages, can be handy for the occasional voucher or notification of a sale.

[RicksAlfas]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't mind collecting points. I get Nectar points for shopping, Ebay, Esso, Viking office supplies and then use them for a treat or free shopping. What's the big deal?

[Griffith4ever]

Koyaanisqatsi said:

Griffith4ever said:

... Radioplayer App won't play BBC stations any more. It still will through Alexa - for now. Otherwise - sign up for a BBC account.
Greatest Hits Radio won't stream on your PC now without your email address - they started last week... on a commercial (ad funded) station - this shows how desperate they are to tie in user details with stream data.

Odd that you are concerned about data and personal information, that data being sold and used ruthlessly for marketing and advertising purposes yet you have a connected Alexa speaker.

Because I get something back in the deal with "Alexa" (very well executed voice control), and, I willingly sign up for it - I'm not forced. I'm not paranoid about sharing my data, I just don't want to be man-handled into doing it under the pretence of "discounts" when I know that's rubbish.

[anonymous-user]

Wow. You having a loyalty card is the difference between them knowing your data or not. Lol.

[BoRED S2upid]

Jasandjules said:

menousername said:

I used to do everything in cash with paper receipts, through the in-person tills rather than the automated, hoping it would contribute to saving jobs, the continued existence of cash, and protecting anonymity.

Just keep doing it.

I also refuse to provide an email address for a receipt etc..

I’m with you guys. No loyalty cards at all, shop at Aldi, never give email address or if I do I give it incorrectly sod em all.

[poppopbangbang]

If you don't want one then just Google / Search Reddit for a Clubcard QR code / Screenshot, there's loads and loads posted for use in Ireland or by people who want the points etc. Scan the screenshot at the till for Clubcard pricing and job jobbed.