Loyalty cards

Loyalty cards started out simple: a card presented at checkout to get a hole punched, a stamp or a scribble; when I’d filled in all the boxes I’d get a discount. Nowadays, most are more sophisticated. I can scan them at the supermarket while the checkout chick is scanning my groceries and the discount is added on the spot. All good, right?

Well, slow down the buggy, all is not as it seems.

Years ago, I started using my VISA card to pay for all my purchases. Then I noticed that, every month when the VISA statement came in, each item was categorised. “Interesting”, I thought, “the bank is categorising my items for me. Or is it for THEM?” Then I thought, “why on earth do I need to tell the bank where I spend my money? It’s none of their business.”

Then I realised that eftpos transactions do the same thing. TMI for the bank.

Around 2006, I started using more cash.

It occurred to me that loyalty cards–the sophisticated kind–might have the capacity to do all sorts of things that I don’t know about. And I get punished by higher prices if I don’t play the game. It didn’t matter much to begin with, as the loyalty discounts were only on the rubbishy stuff I didn’t purchase anyway. Now the “savings” are on everyday items.

And I realised that loyalty cards do the same thing. TMI for the supermarket or shop.

Around 2015, I stopped using electronic loyalty cards.

Now it’s going up a notch. Today I noticed an article saying that some supermarkets are inserting fine-print: in exchange for me using their loyalty card, not only do they get to gather my information for themselves, they also get to profile my face and my car (to stop shoplifters, they say) and sell my proclivities to their mates.

Is it much of a leap to think what the next steps might be? Like, if I don’t play the game, I can’t shop there? What if Government legislates their way into becoming one of their mates? If I’m not a model citizen, then might I be limited in what I can buy? If I have too much loo paper in my trolley they will arrest my shitty arse? Too much meat for my fat, non-carbon-neutral bum?

Cash is not just privacy, it’s freedom. Cash is King.

Modern loyalty cards are a trap.

What price will you pay for privacy and freedom?

Buy local. Use cash. Cut the loyalty card. Be free.

P.S. I get around the privacy aspect at one of the local fuel stations: you know how fuel prices are so high? Last year I caved and thought “I’ll just get a card for this one station so I can get my six cents per litre discount”. I asked for a card; the attendant got one and scanned it to give me the discount before handing it over. He said that I had to go online to register it as he could no longer do it over the counter. Bingo!, there was my solution: I didn’t register the card; if it gives me fuel discounts without being registered, then I’m cool with that–I don’t purchase their daylight-robbery-priced-rubbish anyway! (I’m not sure how long this solution will work…)