My health insurance company sent me a discount offer based on my grocery store card data

Last month, I got a letter from my health insurance company offering a discount on a weight loss program. The weird part was the letter said it was because my grocery store purchases showed I was buying 'high calorie snack foods'. I only use one store card, at a big chain in Portland. I called them and a rep said they buy purchase data from 'data brokers' to 'promote wellness'. I never agreed to that. My store's privacy policy is 20 pages long and I guess I clicked 'agree' years ago. It feels wrong that buying chips means my insurance company now has a file on my eating habits. Has anyone else found out their loyalty card data was sold like this, and is there a way to stop it without giving up the card discounts?

3 comments

3 Comments

xena_bailey1821d ago

So you're fine with them spying on your groceries?

michaelgrant21d ago

Look at it from their side though, they're just trying to help people get healthier. If the data shows a chance to offer a useful program, why not use it? Those store cards are a discount deal, and everyone knows companies use that shopping data. It's how the whole system works now. Getting a letter about a weight loss plan is maybe a good wake up call, right?

smith.nancy21d ago

Hold on, that's not how it works. The store card is a deal for discounts, not a sign up for health advice from my insurance. They're two different companies. In my experience, when data gets sold or shared between companies you didn't agree to, that's the problem. It feels less like help and more like they're watching you without saying who's watching. A letter like that isn't a wake up call, it's creepy because you never gave them permission to look at your groceries for that.