ICO slaps Moneysupermarket with 80k fine for spamming customers

After its shares tanked on Thursday as it warned that full-year operating profit would be at the lower end of the consensus range, it suffered another blow as the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) slapped it with a £80,000 fine for ignoring customers’ marketing email opt-outs.

The ICO said the company sent 7.1 million emails over 10 days updating customers with its terms and conditions, despite those customers having previously opted out of direct marketing.

Moneysupermarket’s email included a section entitled 'Preference Centre Update' which read: "We hold an email address for you which means we could be sending you personalised news, products and promotions. You've told us in the past you prefer not to receive these. If you'd like to reconsider, simply click the following link to start receiving our e-mails.”

The ICO pointed out that asking people to consent to future marketing messages when they have already opted out is against the law.

Head of enforcement Steve Eckersley said: “Organisations can’t get around the law by sending direct marketing dressed up as legitimate updates.

“When people opt out of direct marketing, organisations must stop sending it, no questions asked, until such time as the consumer gives their consent. They don’t get a chance to persuade people to change their minds.”

Moneysupermarket sent the messages between 30 November and 10 December 2016.

Eckersley added: “Emails sent by companies to consumers under the guise of ‘customer service’, checking or seeking their consent, is a circumvention of the rules and is unacceptable. We will continue to take action against companies that choose to ignore the rules.”

At 0915 BST, the shares were down 2.6% to 341.30p.