Hong Kong: ParknShop shopping card

Picked up an application form for the recently launched ParknShop shopping card, "It's FREE! Apply now!"

The supermarket chain's claimed benefits for shoppers includes lower prices on "Exclusive Member Prices", which is interesting.

For instance, a one litre tetrapak of Devondale New Zealand UHT Skimmed Milk, usually retails at HK$15.50. Currently, it is on "Price Watch" at HK$12.90. With the shopping card, make that HK$12.40. Buy two? HK$18.80. Buy two with the shopping card? HK$17.80.

Prices which are academic, however, as the local ParknShop is out of stock.

At minimum, ParknShop require yr name, ID card number, address, and a contact phone number. There's also another page in the leaflet/ application where you can volunteer all sorts of personal info so they can offer you personalised offers.

Yeah, well.

What else? "Terms and Conditions" (in Chinese and English) are the usual but in the smallest type available. Mister Bijou can make out the characters in Chinese, but the English looks like a thin stream of data. Even viewed through Mister Bijou's Sunday best spectacles.

Mister B challenges anyone to read the English and tell me what it says. But there's no need; it's on their website: parknshop

Ha! Section 10: English Version Prevails

Let's see, section 9.3d gives them carte blanche to use yr details "by us, our subsidiaries, our affiliates and/or Our Partners" and section 9.5 allows for transfer of yr details "to Hutchison Whampoa Limited, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited, their respective subsidiaries and any company in which the same has an interest (collectively "Hutchison Group")".

Not forgetting the standard (section 9.4): "You further agree that we may disclose and transfer (whether in Hong Kong or abroad) to our agents, contractors, any telecommunications operations, any third party collection agencies, any credit reference agencies, any security agencies, any credit providers, banks, financial institutions, any other persons under a duty of confidentiality to us and any of our actual or proposed assignees or transferees of our rights with respect to you to use, disclose, hold, process, retain or transfer such Personal Data for the purpose mentioned above."

Data mining, don't you just love it?

Mister Bijou will apply and supply the minimum.

Then go over to the other supermarket chain, Wellcome, and apply for one of their recently launched shopping cards, too.