I placed an online order with Asda and, after delivery, logged into my account with the intention of deleting my credit card details. There was no option to do this; only add extra cards. There was also no option to delete the account. Asda said it could suspend it but not delete it. In the wake of the recent hacking of TalkTalk, can it be made to do so? MS, London
Asda tells me its motives are entirely altruistic as customers want to shop quickly, and to help with a “smooth checkout process we securely save their preferred payment method”.
But it is, it says, “looking at improvements so that customers can update and edit existing information”.
It won’t be drawn on whether this will include the option to delete if you no longer wish to be a customer. Under the Data Protection Act, companies can retain personal information for as long as it is necessary– but you don’t have the right to get it automatically deleted, only to request that it stops using it. You can only object in writing if that use is causing you unwarranted and considerable damage and distress.
So lucky old Asda: it keeps your details in the hope you might one day desire another “smooth checkout”.
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