Retailer Debenhams could face a probe from the UK's data protection watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). This follows multiple complaints from consumers who reportedly could not remove themselves from the company's mailing lists.
The ICO confirmed it has received complaints concerning the complexity of Debenhams' unsubscribe process and persistent 'leave a review' requests. The watchdog monitors complaint trends to identify areas of concern and focus on issues posing the greatest risk to individuals.
One shopper described needing to uncheck 94 boxes across 15 brands and the main Debenhams subscriber section to unsubscribe, stating that emails continued to arrive afterwards. Debenhams, which was acquired by Boohoo in 2021 and now operates as an e-commerce platform for third-party sellers, did not respond to a request for comment.
The ICO has the authority to impose fines or mandate changes in company practices if it determines that a person's GDPR rights have been breached.