RetailDetail EU
Europe - EN
  • België - NL
  • Belgique - FR
  • Nederland - NL
  • Europe - EN
  • Newsletter
  • Contact & Route
Members' area
  • Log in
  • Become a member
  • News
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Electronics
    • Beauty/Care
    • DIY/Garden
    • Leisure
    • General
  • Events
    • OVERVIEW EVENTS
    • EVENT PARTNERSHIPS
  • Advertising
    • PRINT ADVERTISING
    • ONLINE ADVERTISING
  • Members’ area
RetailDetail EU
Europe - EN
  • België - NL
  • Belgique - FR
  • Nederland - NL
  • Europe - EN
  • Newsletter
  • Contact & Route
  • News
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Electronics
    • Beauty/Care
    • DIY/Garden
    • Leisure
    • General
  • Events
    • OVERVIEW EVENTS
    • EVENT PARTNERSHIPS
  • Advertising
    • PRINT ADVERTISING
    • ONLINE ADVERTISING
  • Members’ area
Members' area
  • Log in
  • Become a member
thumb
Written by Jorg Snoeck
In this article
Share article
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email

H&M risks heavy fine in privacy case

icon
Fashion28 January, 2020

Swedish fashion chain H&M has become the focus of an investigation by the privacy watchdog in the German state of Hamburg, citing evidence that the chain was spying on its customer service representatives. If convicted, the maximum fine can be as high as 4 % of H&M’s global turnover.

 

Violation of privacy

Johannes Caspar, the head of Hamburg’s privacy protection office, has said that the evidence was found on a 60-gigabyte hard disk that contained detailed data on the employees’ health and private life. Among other things, their diseases, family disputes and holiday memories were recorded and stored in such a way that all the managers had access to it, Caspar stated.

 

The Swedish chain has “expressed its honest regret“, Associated Press writes, and says it takes the case extremely seriously and will give its full cooperation with the investigating authorities.

 

The privacy protection office has said that it will conclude the investigation and determine the height of the possible fines in the next few weeks. According to GDPR, the maximum fine can be as high as 4 % of H&M’s total annual turnover worldwide (some 22 billion euros).

More about... Fashion
See more
  • icon
    Fashion16 July, 2025
    Zara owner Inditex invests in robotics startup

    Inditex, the fashion group behind Zara, Bershka and Massimo Dutti, is investing in a Spanish startup that deploys artificial intelligence to make robots work in complex environments.

  • icon
    Fashion16 July, 2025
    Richemont sees luxury jewellery sales rise

    Swiss luxury group Richemont sees sales rise more than 10% for its jewellery brands Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. Wealthy consumers continue to buy high-end products despite geopolitical uncertainty.

  • icon
    Fashion15 July, 2025
    LVMH fund takes minority stake in Molli

    French knitting brand Molli has sold a minority stake to LVMH‘s investment fund LVMH Luxury Ventures. The brand, founded in 1886 but relaunched in 2014, aims to use the new capital to expand internationally.

Events
  • 17
    Sep
    CAPTAINS OF RETAIL 2025 – EDITION II
  • 25
    Sep
    RETAIL MARKETING DAY 2025
Most read
  • icon
    General20 June, 2025
    Fashion and hospitality boost El Corte Inglés’ profits
  • icon
    General17 June, 2025
    Oxford Street to become car-free “as quickly as possible”
  • icon
    Food27 June, 2025
    Kaufland reorganizes its marketing department following Lidl’s example
  • icon
    General10 July, 2025
    “New” Pepco reports record revenue after Poundland sale
Follow RetailDetail
  • socialFacebook
  • socialTwitter
  • socialInstagram
  • sociallinkedIn
footer-logo
RetailDetail, the leading b2b-retailcommunity in the Benelux, keeps retail professionals up-to-date by means of online & offline publications, retail events, inspiring retail hunts and the unique co-creation platform The Loop, where retailers and their suppliers can experience the future of shopping.
Mailing Address
Kolveniersstraat 7, bus 26 2000 Antwerp
Visiting address
Stadsfeestzaal – Meir 78 2000 Antwerp
How to reach us:
Directions
© 2025 RetailDetail
general conditions | privacy policy
Contact us About us info@retaildetail.be
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Accept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT