Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has started a compliance check against Deliveroo after the takeaway delivery platform said it would shut down its operations in the city.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data on Wednesday said Deliveroo’s cessation of operations in Hong Kong may affect the personal data privacy rights of its customers and delivery riders.
The watchdog has “commenced a compliance check against Deliveroo in accordance with established procedures to gather more information, with a view to assisting the relevant merchants,” it said in a statement.
These include “the operator taking over the business, in handling, deleting or transferring the personal data of customers and delivery riders in compliance with the requirements of the watchdog”, it added.
Deliveroo said on Monday that it would be pulling out of the Hong Kong market, leaving Berlin-based rival Delivery Hero’s Foodpanda to compete directly with Keeta. The company reported negative levels of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, or Ebitda, in Hong Kong over the past year.
In addition to redirecting its riders to Foodpanda, Deliveroo said it would also refer its customers and sell some of its restaurants and grocery shops to its rival.
“The compliance check has been commenced to ensure that the personal data concerned would not be misused, leaked or fall into the hands of fraudsters for fraudulent activities,” the watchdog added.
