- Enforcing jurisdiction
- Germany · Geography does not establish applicable law.
- Confirmed applicable legislation
- No confirmed legal basis recorded.
- Privacy topics
Supermarket – Fine (Germany, 2022)
Privacy enforcement record
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A supermarket was fined for a store detective taking a photo of a customer during an alleged theft and sharing it via WhatsApp without proper legal grounds. This incident raises concerns about privacy and the appropriate use of surveillance. It serves as a reminder for businesses to follow data protection laws.
What happened
The supermarket's store detective took a photo of a customer and shared it without a sufficient legal basis.
Who was affected
The customer whose photo was taken and shared without consent.
What the authority found
The DPA found that the supermarket acted unlawfully by sharing the photo without a valid legal reason.
Why this matters
This case underscores the need for businesses to have clear policies regarding the use of surveillance and data sharing. Companies must ensure they comply with data protection laws to avoid penalties.
Source checks
Linked-source text retrieved.
Automated check recorded — 23 March 2026.
Processing notes: articles corrected, authority corrected.
Retrieved text may be a secondary summary or an announcement. These automated statuses do not establish that the original decision was read or that the record received an independent legal review. How we check sources
The DPA of Bremen has imposed a fine on a supermarket. A store detective had taken a photo of the data subject on the occasion of an alleged theft and transmitted it via the messenger service WhatsApp to the manager, the store manager and two closing staff members, allegedly to enforce house rules but without a sufficient legal basis.
Related Enforcement Actions (0)
No other enforcement actions found for Supermarket in DE
This is the only recorded action for this entity in this jurisdiction.
Details
Fine Date
1 January 2022
Authority
Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz
About this data
Cite as: Cookie Fines. Supermarket - Germany (2022). Retrieved from cookiefines.eu
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