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Albert Heijn: Dutch supermarket drops call for staff underwear photos | Albert Heijn: Dutch supermarket drops call for staff underwear photos |
(30 minutes later) | |
The Netherlands' leading supermarket chain has abandoned a request for staff to upload semi-naked photographs of themselves to an app so it could work out sizes for a new uniform. | The Netherlands' leading supermarket chain has abandoned a request for staff to upload semi-naked photographs of themselves to an app so it could work out sizes for a new uniform. |
Albert Heijn had called on staff at a branch in the eastern city of Nijmegen to upload photos of themselves in their underwear or tight-fitting sports gear. | Albert Heijn had called on staff at a branch in the eastern city of Nijmegen to upload photos of themselves in their underwear or tight-fitting sports gear. |
The move sparked widespread criticism on Dutch social media. | The move sparked widespread criticism on Dutch social media. |
Abandoning the trial, the company admitted it should never have happened. | Abandoning the trial, the company admitted it should never have happened. |
Clearly appalled by the idea of a supermarket having a database of its workers in their underwear, the Dutch Data Protection Authority described it as bizarre. | Clearly appalled by the idea of a supermarket having a database of its workers in their underwear, the Dutch Data Protection Authority described it as bizarre. |
Albert Heijn had "no grounds whatsoever to require its staff to do this", it said, suggesting uniform sizes could be determined in a less radical way. | Albert Heijn had "no grounds whatsoever to require its staff to do this", it said, suggesting uniform sizes could be determined in a less radical way. |
The story was first reported by Dutch newspaper NRC, which said a poster about the method for measuring the uniform had appeared in a staff canteen in the Nijmegen supermarket. | The story was first reported by Dutch newspaper NRC, which said a poster about the method for measuring the uniform had appeared in a staff canteen in the Nijmegen supermarket. |
"Wear underwear or tight-fitting sportswear so the contours of your body can be measured as accurately as possible. And ask someone to help you take the photos," it said. | "Wear underwear or tight-fitting sportswear so the contours of your body can be measured as accurately as possible. And ask someone to help you take the photos," it said. |
An email to employees in Nijmegen, seen by NRC, reportedly said that use of the app was "essential and mandatory". | An email to employees in Nijmegen, seen by NRC, reportedly said that use of the app was "essential and mandatory". |
Nijmegen had been selected to try out the app before it was rolled out at Albert Heijn supermarkets across the country. | Nijmegen had been selected to try out the app before it was rolled out at Albert Heijn supermarkets across the country. |
Albert Heijn has insisted that participation in the trial was never mandatory. A spokesman told Dutch media that the firm had been trying to find a better way of collating all the sizes of its 100,000 workers and felt an app would be more helpful than receiving 100,000 emails. | Albert Heijn has insisted that participation in the trial was never mandatory. A spokesman told Dutch media that the firm had been trying to find a better way of collating all the sizes of its 100,000 workers and felt an app would be more helpful than receiving 100,000 emails. |
In a statement to the BBC on Tuesday, the company confirmed that it had been testing the use of an "innovative mobile app" to determine clothing sizes "in a quick and efficient way" before introducing a new uniform across its 1,000 stores next year. | In a statement to the BBC on Tuesday, the company confirmed that it had been testing the use of an "innovative mobile app" to determine clothing sizes "in a quick and efficient way" before introducing a new uniform across its 1,000 stores next year. |
"In this test we asked associates to upload a personal photo in close-fitted clothing or underwear for automatic analyses by the app. Although participation was voluntary and pictures were not visible to Albert Heijn management, this should never have happened," a spokesperson said. | "In this test we asked associates to upload a personal photo in close-fitted clothing or underwear for automatic analyses by the app. Although participation was voluntary and pictures were not visible to Albert Heijn management, this should never have happened," a spokesperson said. |
"We have cancelled the pilot and we apologise to all involved." | "We have cancelled the pilot and we apologise to all involved." |
Albert Heijn told the BBC it was unsure how many people had actually uploaded photos, but that it was halfway through the two-week trial at the supermarket, which has about 400 staff, when it was cancelled on Monday. | |
The company has said any pictures already uploaded would be deleted and that it was "looking for a different method to identify clothing sizes". | |
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