Some of Britain's largest retailers, including Tesco, Boots, and Co-op, commissioned a behavioural analysis agency to secretly film customers in their stores in an effort to increase spending. The agency, SBXL, claims it can use the footage to 'manipulate' shopper emotions and behaviour, raising takings for clients.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has said it will examine the findings of a Daily Mail investigation to check for breaches of data protection laws. The ICO's director of investigations, Steve Eckersley, stated: 'The Daily Mail's investigation has highlighted concerns about the use of CCTV. We will be examining the material provided and making appropriate enquiries.'
SBXL's YouTube channel featured footage of shoppers, including close-ups and images of children, some of which had been online for up to eight years. The channel also included a 'Christmas Special bloopers' montage set to the Benny Hill theme tune. SBXL initially told an undercover reporter that the people filmed did not know they were being recorded, but later insisted it had not carried out covert recording.
Campaign group Big Brother Watch described the practice as 'an unbelievable level of disrespect for loyal customers and an apparently alarming disregard for privacy laws'. Privacy International said there were 'serious questions to be answered in relation to the legality of these actions conducted without the express consent of the individual'.
SBXL has worked with major brands including L'Oreal, Coca-Cola, Danone, Kellogg's, and Mars. The agency recommended exploiting pet owners' guilt by placing cute animal pictures next to treats, resulting in a 15 per cent sales increase worth £106 million at Tesco and £20 million at Asda over a year.
