Particle.news
Download on the App Store

German Watchdog Warns Supermarket Apps Steer Shoppers, Urges Ban on Manipulative Designs

Independent price data suggest the touted coupons deliver only marginal savings despite extensive data collection.

Overview

  • An internet‑representative survey for the vzbv found 78% use at least one supermarket app and 61% of users say their shopping behavior has changed.
  • Two thirds of users reported buying more in the past two years to unlock app‑exclusive deals or benefits.
  • Supermarket apps require personal registration and track detailed purchase and location data, while roughly 29% of non‑users avoid them over privacy concerns.
  • The vzbv calls for prohibiting manipulative interface tactics such as gamified tiers, timed coupons and collection mechanics, and for restricting ad profiling.
  • A legal case against Lidl challenges marketing of Lidl‑Plus as “free,” as price‑tracker Smhaggle estimates average real savings from app coupons at about 2%.