The online shopping giant Kroger is facing a backlash from customers who say the company doesn’t follow its own privacy guidelines.
“Kroger doesn’t have any privacy policies or any policies for how you can choose who you share your personal information with and for how long,” says Rachel Schmitt, a customer service representative at a Krogers in Chicago location.
Schmitt says customers are also complaining about being unable to buy from a Kro-branded store.
“They’re just not going to let me in the door,” she says.
“They’re not going anywhere.
And they’re not doing anything about it.
The only reason that I’m leaving is because I want to get my money back and that’s it.”
The controversy comes as Kroger, a company that specializes in food, beverage and personal care, is embroiled in a major privacy controversy that’s prompted some customers to leave the company.
The Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that it will investigate Kroger for failing to comply with its privacy policies.
The agency said the complaints are related to a 2012 lawsuit Kroger settled with an unnamed consumer group over a policy that required shoppers to give their name and address and provide information about their health and other personal information.
Krogers, however, said the settlement didn’t violate its privacy policy.
The agency also said it’s reviewing complaints from consumers about how to obtain refunds or credits for items purchased online from Kroger.
Krabs is in the process of closing a store in Kansas City, Kansas, and is seeking to open an online grocery store in Chicago.
