Investigation finds Kroger loyalty program collects extensive shopper data for profit

CLEVELAND — Grocery store loyalty programs offer customers digital coupons, fuel discounts and product recall notifications in exchange for membership.

However, a Consumer Reports investigation has found that Kroger , one of the nation's largest grocery chains, collects and monetizes shopper data on a scale that exceeds typical retail practices.

According to the investigation, retail loyalty programs typically require customers to provide their name, home address, email address and phone number during signup. Store chains then track purchasing patterns to build customer profiles. While this practice is common across the industry, Consumer Reports found that Kroger has developed what it characterizes as a sophisticated data collection and analysis operation.

"Store chains often col