Richard Walker, the Iceland Managing Director, has condemned UK data protection laws as “stupid” because he claims they are preventing retailers from circulating CCTV images of shoplifters via the popular WhatsApp messaging app.

He has gone so far as to tell employees in Iceland’s 1000 stores to ignore the restrictions impose by UK GDPR and the 2018 Data Protection Act and use WhatsApp anyway. He claims that, he will “take the rap” for any subsequent prosecutions.

He said: “It's actually illegal for us to share images of known offenders on local High Street WhatsApp groups because of data protection laws. I'd like that to change.”

He added: “When these images are on your CCTV, it's absolutely proven. You watch someone pick something up, put them under their coat or whatever they do, and walk out or become aggressive to those store staff if they're stopped.”

The Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO] has clarified that while data protection laws do allow sharing images to prevent or detect crime, it must be done in a “necessary and proportionate” manner. In addition, WhatsApp’s own rules prohibit commercial use of the product.

The correct way to ensure that images of thieves are shared is to join a crime reduction partnership that will have in security measures to protect the data together with place data sharing agreements and data processing documentation to ensure that the activity complies with GDPR rules.