Grocery Stores Monitor Purchases Using Special Customer Cards

Ever been to a Supermarket and used one of the many variations of special customer cards... VIP, MVP, Bonuscard, etc... the list goes on and on.

Imagine how easy the transition will be once RFID becomes mainstream to add some RFID chips in those cards.

Now consider why they have those cards.... most likely to monitor what people purchase. Sure it may not be for a sinister purpose now, but lets say HLS wanted to check on peoples supermarket purchases.... I bet they could...

Very evil!

I KNOW Kroger uses the cards to monitor my purchasing habits. I get coupons from Kroger in the mail that happen to be things that I buy. Now knowing this I would not be surprised at all if DHS was doing the same thing. Hell, if Ashcroft can monitor our library cards why can't Ridge monitor my diaper purchases!!

Hi lockheed!!

You might want to check this out - this dates from Thursday, August 01, 2002!!

Quote from above:

"Store Customer Cards a Source for FBI?

"While that customer loyalty card at the supermarket might perceivably save you a few pennies at the checkout counter, your buying habits could end up in the hands of government agents...."

Holy Crap! That's Insane! I always wondered what those little cards really were for because always in the past we just used cupons. I figured there had to be some sinister purpose behind them. So the next time I buy a lot of ammonium nitrate at Harris Teeter I'd better make sure I do it over several trips instead of all at the same time...

And this is why I pay the regular amount. I don't use their cards and I don't give my info Radio Shack - they keep track of what electrical components people buy and who buys them. Freedom?

hehe... heheh hohohoh hahaha.

I believe it's to find out your shopping trends so they can entice you to buy more, to figure out what you like and don't like.


Oh my he bought corn, alert the counter terrorism unit, ja ja ja ja unit!

The purposes behind all these cards are not all sinister, they also help the stores track food trends and the buying habits of thier customers. It helps to know the demographics of the people who shop in their stores and helps them decides which products to purchase to meet the consumer needs of any given area.

Originally posted by jeeze louise
The purposes behind all these cards are not all sinister, they also help the stores track food trends and the buying habits of thier customers. It helps to know the demographics of the people who shop in their stores and helps them decides which products to purchase to meet the consumer needs of any given area.

Uh, wouldn't they know that by running out of certain products?

No, I totally agree, the reason these cards, for the most part now, are used is to help track customer buying habits to keep an accurate inventory on hand. However what I'm saying is that these cards could easily be used for a more sinister purpose...

Don't know about you in the US but here in the UK if you use a Tesco(chain of supermarket) club card it holds the information on the things you have brought.

Weeks later you receive discount coupons on things you just happen to buy on a regular basis!

It is merely a prelude to the government conditioning the consumers for new and improved methods of tracking our movement.
here are my thoughts on the matter....

Digital implants.....

www.grassyknoll.homestead.com...

This is why i've always used a fake name and address to sign up for these cards.
It's not like they'll check any id anyway

Another variation on this shopping card thing is that insurance companies can look into your purchases for example: "Mr jones bought an average of 10 pounds of bacon per month last year...time to jack up his life insurance policy premium" I doubt DHS would not find this information helpful at all not unless the terrorist used the card at a paticular time or bought a paticular item and was a part of an investegation

its just tapping into Marketing trends to see and learn when and what people purchase. In all honesty data mining has always worked in improving proccesses besdies helping major corporations aquire more money from the genral public.

Credit card companies have been tracking spending behavior forever & credit clearinghouses like Equifax & Experian have been getting this information from the credit bureaus and attaching it to our Social Security #'s & building profiles of our spending habits, where we have been traveling... Internet purchases included...

I'm sure this info is already being given to the government, part of the Patriot Act monitors book titles purchased--where do you think this information is coming from? Heaven forbid you purchase a title that is deemed to be something that the government feels that a terrorist would read...

Pay cash!!

Yes! Cash is untraceable and so therefore currency would have to be totally digitized before a total opression could take place. So I think we are mostly safe for now.

Loyalty cards are used by companies to track your purchases for valid business reasons. However, they often sell their data to third parties, including government agencies. That's why the privacy policy is important to read. They might say that they will only use it for determining buying characteristics, but they reserve the right to share the data with other parties. If they say that when the share the data it is only in summary form or in a way that the third party cannot determine individuals.

i dont really care who they give the info to. if someone feels smarter because they know i buy a dozen eggs every two weeks more power to them.

I didn't realize those store customer cards could be a data source for the FBI. Imagine if they profiled me:

Impulsive: Shops on impulse at all hours of day and night

Timing of large purchases: when she shops just before mealtimes

Favorite foods: garbanzo beans, ramen noodles and grape tomatoes,
real butter, and catfish nuggets

Is frugal: buys generic brands

Has at least 10 cats: buys massive quantities of cat litter

Has real teeth - buys regular toothpaste

Smoker and Alcohol Abstainer

Has small freezer: few frozen items

Parent of a teenager: buys burritos, pizza, string cheese, and snacks

Off the Wall: Buys Weekly World News rag

[edit on 10/2/2004 by esther]