Pizza Hut has been fined $2.5 million for bombarding Australian phones with spam texts and emails.
The restaurant chain sent more than 10 million marketing messages that breached industry standards between January and May 2023, an Australian Communications and Media Authority (AMCA) investigation has found.
More than 5.94 million of these text messages and emails were intended for customers who had not consented to receive marketing messages or had withdrawn their consent.
Another 4.36 million messages were sent to customers without the ability to unsubscribe from the content.
Pizza Hut Australia has been fined $2.5 million for sending more than 10 million messages to customers who broke anti-spam rules between January and May in 2023
ACMA’s action against Pizza Hut is the latest measure after it also went after the likes of DoorDash, Ticketek, Uber and Kmart.
A member of the authority, Samantha Yorke, said Pizza Hut’s spam messages had frustrated a number of customers.
“Some of the affected customers had attempted to unsubscribe several times and received multiple messages after trying to stop them,” Ms Yorke said in a statement.
‘The public expects more from companies that use their data.
“They have the right not to receive marketing communications if they have not consented or chosen to opt out.”
She added that the spam rules have been in place for more than two decades and that there is “simply no excuse for not respecting customers’ rights.”
“It is especially disappointing when well-known companies with large customer bases do not meet their obligations in the way that Pizza Hut has,” Yorke said.
The restaurant chain sent text messages and emails to customers who had not consented, refused consent or were not given the opportunity to consent to marketing messages (stock image)
ACMA also accepted a three-year, court-enforceable commitment from Pizza Hut to appoint an independent consultant to monitor compliance with spam rules.
The restaurant chain must also report regularly to the authority.
“We help people who receive unwanted spam by cracking down on companies that don’t follow direct marketing laws,” Yorke said.
‘The penalties for breach can be very serious and all companies involved in e-marketing should check that their compliance systems are working effectively so that they are not spamming customers.’
The authority’s enforcement of spam rules has resulted in more than $15 million in fines over the past 18 months.