Loblaw is apologizing to about two million customers after hackers accessed personal information in a data breach earlier this year.
The grocery company, based in Brampton, Ont., said an unauthorized third party accessed information such as customers’ names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdates and purchase details.
Loblaw CEO Per Bank apologized to affected customers, saying the company takes its responsibility to protect personal information seriously.
As a precaution, the company logged customers out of applications using its PCiD credentials, including PC Optimum, PC Express and PC Financial.
Loblaw is offering affected customers two years of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services through TransUnion. Customers have until Feb. 28, 2027, to sign up.
The company is also warning customers to watch for suspicious emails, calls and text messages asking for personal information or encouraging them to click links.
Privacy experts caution that credit monitoring offers limited protection. While it may help detect attempts to use stolen information to obtain credit, it cannot prevent all forms of identity theft. Information such as a birthdate cannot easily be changed.
Canadian businesses are legally required to protect the personal information they collect. Proposed federal privacy legislation could introduce stronger consequences for companies that fail to meet their responsibilities.
