We’re happy to announce that the Digital Footprints Lab has received a grant of £413,085 which is supported through the Smart Data Research UK/Economic and Social Research Council for their project ‘An acceptability and governance foundation for linking participant retailer loyalty card records to UK longitudinal population studies’!
This project explores the feasibility of linking shopping loyalty card data with UK longitudinal population studies (LPS) to enhance research on health, lifestyle, and economic behaviours. Shopping records obtained through loyalty cards to offer insights into indicators of; consumption and household economic circumstances (e.g. food budgeting), lifestyle choices (including diet, smoking and alcohol consumption) and health status and behaviours (e.g. over-the-counter medication and contraceptive purchases).
However, using this data raises ethical, legal, and technical challenges, including privacy concerns and participant acceptance. The project will engage with study participants, legal experts, and data managers to assess the acceptability of such data linkages, ensuring informed consent and transparency. It will also develop ethical and legal frameworks to guide the responsible use of shopping data in research.
By working with multiple LPS and leveraging existing research infrastructure (such as the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration), the project aims to establish best practices and promote collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and the public. Ultimately, it seeks to unlock the potential of “Smart Data” while maintaining public trust and ensuring data security.