Retailers collect data every time someone swipes a loyalty card, uses a digital coupon, or checks out through a mobile app. Most shoppers assume this information stays within the store’s walls. It does not. A privacy loophole lets companies package and sell detailed shopping data, often without clear warning or meaningful consent. The practice shapes ads, insurance decisions, and even credit evaluations while remaining largely hidden from view. The stakes are high, and the rules protecting consumers lag far behind the technology exploiting them.
