The Warehouse privacy check: Journalist sent other people’s data

The Warehouse says it's increasing investment in loyalty schemes. (Image: The Warehouse Group)

When BusinessDesk journalist Victoria Young requested the information held about her by The Warehouse Group, she got a shock.

Among the data she received under a Privacy Act request was the private information of three other Victoria Youngs.

Young said she had been interested to hear The Warehouse’s belief that “growing first-party data across all our brands will be a competitive advantage”.

She said: “I put this to the test by requesting all the personal information the retailer held about me, which in New Zealand anyone can do under the Privacy Act.

”Among screeds of data about her, the retailer listed the contact details, including emails, addresses and phone numbers of several other people called Victoria Young.

Young described the situation to the Privacy Commission, which said it was a privacy breach and very common.

The Warehouse said it was the first time it had received such a request and a team member had made a mistake.

Read the full story here.