Should I Give My Personal Details to Metro for Shopping there?

I don’t have Metro card, however, I go there with one of my friends, or I get temporary card for a visit. If you ever visited Metro, you may know that they ask your name, company you work for, cell number, company number, date of birth and what not, for issuing temporary or permanent card.

Thanks God, they don’t ask me about my B-Form, my night cream, food I like, places I love to go or about my Girl Friend. But you know what, the information they collect from me for issuing the card – and then comparing it with what I shop, they get complete details of my likes and dislikes.

My point is that why Metro like to know about my company’s mobile number for just selling me shampoo?

I know such issues are least addressed in Pakistan, revealing personal identity is least cared about, but I won’t allow them collect my data and then build a data bank that they can sell to anyone.

My question is, if there is any authority in Pakistan that allows them collect all this information? If there are rule of practices available?

I tried to dig this out, by contacting consumer protection office, Competition Commission and couple of other concerning institutes but found no authentic justification.

I have been to Wal Mart and Carrefour (in China and US), which are hell bigger retailers then Metro, when you go there they don’t mess you with any details or stuff. You just buy and get out. Yes they do have membership cards but those are like royalty based like discounts and all you know.

On a side note (not related with the headline, but I guess I should discuss it here), there are no chairs/benches for senior citizen or handicapped – or even if a youngster want to sit and rest after miles of walk, there is nothing relieving for him/her.

Another observation, Zeeshan Shafqat (a.k.a bites85) takes help of crutches to walk. He went there and crossed the security gate, which of course beeped due to crutches. At airports (which are big sensitive places) any airport like in US you walk through it, they know you are with crutches so the security alarm beeps –  but they leave it as they are not blind.

However, at Metro, 18 years old Zeeshan was asked to revert back and walk without crutches to clear security check – no words on it, but just itna kahon ga – Aqal na howay tay mojan hi mojan

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • Dear Aamir, you have raised a very valid point here. I’ve not yet visited the Metro yet, but I have heard about these things. I don’t exactly understand why they ask for that much information. And even after asking so much information, where they have stated their privacy policy?

  • It isnt fair at all… v need to discuss this thing more to make authorities to atleast think over it…

  • Totally agreed!!!.. Thts not damn discount card.. its just membership card… And i had my personal bad experience with them about warranty claim… So,simply useless!!! Go to Karachi company .. u may get discount there :)

  • Just grab the concept of Metro this only for business men and whole seller not for end consumers
    Because Metro sends you METRO POST for active customers and send you the relevent offers as per your buying trend.

    • Very Rite!!1 This is we called Business Intelligence!!!

      But pls check on by ureself, they will send you the same mags (catalogue) monthly i.e. is sent to whole Pakistani members :P :P , Where does BI stand???

      Do U and Me both have same buying trend…Ans is No!!

      They can simply ask you your name , address and phone no and Email…Ths all…they can assess everything on single card purchasing….trend and future decisions on that trend..

      Per Rola Yeh hai k aik toh woh nahi hota jis k lieyey woh kartey hain….N they complex the process without considering customer convenience , customer experience…

      Buss , Kari aao YAar Jis tarah Ho raya hai…

  • Metro is not a retailer rather its a wholesaler and they sell to retailers. Thats why they seek registration of their customers as basically its a business to business transaction.
    Over here, this concept is not fully applicable as a major chunk of visitors are individual consumers.

    • v.rite AZ this business is B2B…

      but where does Customer Service Standards Stands?

      U must be known with , Rs 2000 buyings which is now lifted…

      Nowhere in the world it is imposed by Metro…but here …why??

      i think they come with good standards and everything….per we all know , This is we , who show them the bad ways for doing right things…which is so sad and unfortunate with everyone…

      “Jaisa Dais Waisa Bais”

      So they do same thing with us..because we do not demand rights and justifications…and believe me Pakistan is the most easiest market to pursue in B2C & B2B segments …

  • its been also over in ISB / Pindi… Per prblm is that everyone take these things as brand and status symbol…Ma God our Societal Taboo….

    Any how,my all sympathies are with Zeeshan , believe me Zeeshan if this could happen in US / Europe , till now Metro will be suit against them for degrading the noble citizen of the country.

    But Here , Haanktay Jao Jaisay Koi Hankwana Chahata hai yeh nahi….Problem is that , there is no such regulatory authorizes to control such things in Pakistan…Yeh we have Consumer protection laws and bla bla …But pls this all in books…only 2% people of this country would practice that…

    98% will say time Pass karo Yaar…Kya Damaag Kapanaa Hai…

    There are lot of other loop holes in Metro

    1. Rechecking of Grocery/ items @ the ends…There answer for this reason is buyers steal stuff from metro…Ohh come on why not you design such process that chance of stealing is become to zero defect..Per problem yeh hai ..they find less expensive ways , to fool everyone of us…and believe me we get fool for no reason….Why to consume time of customer while checking bill and check items against it..
    When it is transacted from your counter…and believe me they only check big items nothing else…:P:P

    2.They are loaded with Cams all around in Metro , and when you inquire about every information like Aamir said, then monitor from cameras and reach to that customer easily… Per koi karey toh tab naa….Dash Drama Buss….

    Now let me tell you an example…of KISS “Keep it Simple & Stupid” Process…

    Once one manufacturer were having a issue of empty packaging during packaging process and packaging reach to customer was empty most of the times. he decided to install bla bla machines to cater this issue out as consultants suggested him….but unfortunately !! he had not succeeded in doing so…

    Later on , this was simply done by placing a high speed fan in front of every Dabba “Packagaing” to check Packaging is empty or not…if it wud be empty then it will automatically fell from conveyer and it is filled with goods then it will reach to its destination…

    So Moral of the story is ” We spend Hell much money on doing lot of stuff , but we dont find KISS around us”

    U can see this every where and at every step….

    2.

  • Hyperstar Market is Biggest Store in Pakistan.its in Lahore nd u can do shop even for 10 rs nd no card required better than makro & Metro.

  • Metro is German supply chain .. concept of metro is to supply products to wholesale or bulk qty for professional. we are not that much use to this modern shape of trading however this concpet is not working that much here but still many offices and little food restaurant are doing shopping for their business. There is Also Hyperstar in lahore and their concept is retail SHOPPING NEVER EASY BEFORE. well i have done study myslef they have big success in Lahore ( I am supplier of Alcatel mobile phones) all shoppers from ALFATAH , CSD , JALAL DIN and even some from metro are not reqular customer at HS , next year they have plan one store in KARACHI.. GOOD LUCK

  • Metro’s concept is totally different and not match of Metor’s fresh like Fish, Meat and Vege is now improving and giving good business.
    In future Metro will be successful and all stores has there own type of customer
    As now metro is planning in Multan, Sialkot and Gujranwala the only chain which spreading in whole country not only three big cities

  • Thanks for propakistani on raisaing such an issue!

    It is un-ethical for makro/metro to have so much private info from their customers. But it is practised only due to the ignorance of customers that allows them to have so much details.

    But inspite of blaming makro/metro, we should try to aware our customers of their privacy of personel info.

  • Hi all,
    Metro is not directed towards us. it is directed towards retailers and proffesionals. Hyperstar is directed towards us.
    This is the difference for which metro asks for info and hyperstar doesnt want info from us.
    Hyperstar targets mass audience while target market for metro is limited so what they try is k vo data generate karain of their clients to retain them in future though they are not using that data in efficient way..

  • One more thing.
    I went to makro. It was like they were having middle and lower middle class people all around. May be it is a tactic of Metro to put purchase limit so that only retailers, professionals and people with high buying capacity(which means higher paid groups i.e. upper middle class & upper class) can shop here and its like a SHASHKA and this shashka is highly appreciated in our Pakistan

    • This cud be reason for Shushka…

      i believe they introduce this boundedness because they wanted cover daily expense and definitely to discourage non retail buyers.

      Per This strategy reveresed and they have been loaded with Huge profits because of non retail buyers consumers , Proof is their Hoardings Saying Thanks to People of Islamabad…

      Not “Retailers”” :P:P:P

      Whats your Say??

  • aqal howay tay……….
    sochan he sochan
    n as pakistani we dont wana mess with innovative ideas or i may say (common sense)
    Metro need some improvement in order to train the staff.

    we must raise the issue that if they have the rites to get a customer’s personal information.(what if customer is not willing to give his/her personal info?)

  • I ws planing to go to metro wid ma family aftr reading all dis! Shud i go? Actualy i hv to buy an lcd bravia, nd a cycling machine bt i also hv a neice ov 7 yrs i hv heard k wo les thn 1o yrs ko ni janae daite!
    If nt thn recomend me a markt 4m where i shud buy dis! I hv already been to hyperstar its a true copy ov carefour

  • that’s really bad and sad to know about the attitude of metro peoples!

    Beleive me they have nothing to attract me, they are comparatively expensive as well.

    The only point of attraction is one stop shop for your various needs.

  • Gentelmen, u are worried about providing personal information to Metro, a company that still has certain limits within pakistani law.. and yet, ppl are willing to update and share personal information (including numbers and all) on Sites such as Facebook, Orkut, Google Email Prfiles etc??

    Privacy of these sites is of more criticallity than metro….

    • Yah, lets not forget Facebook now claims ownership to your photos even after you close your account. And yet we keep uploading photos there.

  • I find the whole Zeeshan deal very very surprising. But more surprising than that is how someone with such poor command of the English language, like yourself, is allowed to post an article in English. There should be a rule banning all articles from people who do not know the difference between then & than, and between you’re & your.

  • The CEO for METRO PAKISTAN is MR Bilal , and he is managing the metro pakistan in a pakistani style , i knew some people in metro , who are highly skillful , MBA graduates from good universities and they are appointed in Storeroom just because they are not favourites of their managers…


  • Get Alerts

    Follow ProPakistani to get latest news and updates.


    ProPakistani Community

    Join the groups below to get latest news and updates.



    >