Food delivery company HelloFresh fined after 'spamming campaign' involving 79 million emails
12.01.2024 - 07:53
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Food delivery company HelloFresh has been fined £140,000 after a seven-month spamming campaign of 79 million emails and one million text messages.
Customers were also not given enough information that their data would be used for marketing for up to two years after cancelling their subscriptions, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has claimed.
The ICO began its investigation in March 2022 following 14 complaints made directly to the regulator as well as 8,729 to the 7726 spam message reporting service. The investigation found the company continued to contact some individuals even after they had asked it to stop.
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The marketing messages were sent based on an opt-in statement which did not make any reference to the sending of marketing via text. Whilst there was a reference to marketing via email, this was included in an age confirmation statement which was likely to unfairly incentivise customers to agree, it was found.
Andy Curry, head of investigations at the ICO, said: “This marked a clear breach of trust of the public by HelloFresh. Customers weren’t told exactly what they’d be opting into, nor was it clear how to opt out.
"From there, they were hit with a barrage of marketing texts they didn’t want or expect, and in some cases, even when they told HelloFresh to stop, the deluge continued.
“In issuing this fine, we are showing that we will take clear and decisive action where we find the law has not been followed. We will always protect the right of customers to choose how their data is used.
“The investigation that led to this fine began following complaints filed by the public, both to the ICO and to the 7726