[Sundae]

It's not irritating me, but it weirded me out a bit.

It's my responsibility to keep the office stocked with certain items - cleaning materials, tea and coffee, biscuits for external meetings etc. My predecessor tended to order from a stationery company, but I realised even before VAT they were more expensive than a normal supermarket.

So I made the decision to accept a £5 delivery charge and order once a month. I am already saving the company money. The online account is in the company name and is paid for on the company credit card. I don't shop online myself, I only use this account for work.

The nearest supermarket that delivers is Sainbury's. Where I shop myself, the old fashioned way. Where I have a loyalty card. So I use my loyalty card to accrue points for my office spend. Nothing wrong with that.

BUT. The second time I shopped online, the helpful website came up with suggestions of what I might like to buy. Instead of cleaning products, toilet rolls, coffee it offered me cheap cuts of chicken (for the boys), scented candles and lager. Using the purchases tracked on my loyalty card over the last 10 months.

Of course I realise this is the point of the cards. You don't get something for nothing from a big company. And I'm not getting paranoid and ooooh, Big Brother! It just spooked me for a while, as if someone was looking out of my pc and recognising me.