Introduction:Recently, an employee of HEYTEA in Shijiazhuang was found to have searched for customers' phone numbers after work hours, added them on WeChat, and harassed them, sparking public concern. HEYTEA swiftly fired the employee, issued an apology, and provided compensation. This incident highlights the insufficient training in personal data protection within the tea beverage industry. With the implementation of the Implementation Regulations of the Consumer Rights and Interests Protection Law in 2024, regulations on how businesses handle personal data have become stricter. This article provides a detailed analysis of the incident, the brand’s response, and explains how the law protects your privacy.
An employee at a HEYTEA store in Shijiazhuang was reported for using customers’ phone numbers obtained after work hours to add them on WeChat and harass them, which quickly triggered heated discussion. It is understood that the employee acquired customers’ phone numbers by some means and sent them friend requests on WeChat — behavior widely condemned. After the incident came to light, HEYTEA took immediate action, terminating the involved employee and apologizing to and compensating the affected customers.
According to the victim, she had placed an order at the store through the HEYTEA mini-program, only to find her personal information misused. She subsequently lodged a complaint with HEYTEA’s official customer service to express her dissatisfaction. On the second day after the incident, the person in charge of the HEYTEA store responded, pointing out that the incident occurred during the employee’s off-duty hours and was an individual act. Notably, only designated in-store devices can access customer phone numbers through order information, so it remains unclear how the employee obtained the number.
The store manager further explained that the employee had worked at the store for about six months and had no prior similar record. Although HEYTEA has internal regulations for protecting customer personal data, there had been no specialized training on this issue. He admitted: “Any normal person would know you shouldn’t do this, so we hadn’t emphasized it specifically before. We were shocked that someone would actually do this.”
After the incident, the victim stated that the issue had been resolved. HEYTEA not only fired the involved employee but also formally apologized to her and provided corresponding compensation. This individual case has drawn public attention not only to the internal management of tea beverage brands but also brought the issue of consumer personal data protection back into the spotlight.
The Implementation Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests, which came into effect on July 1, 2024, clearly regulate such behavior. According to the Regulations, business operators must not excessively collect consumers’ personal data when providing goods or services, nor can they force consumers to agree to the use of personal data unrelated to the business through blanket authorization or default options.
In addition, Article 20 of the Regulations particularly emphasizes consumers’ “right to tranquility,” explicitly stating that without consent, businesses must not send commercial messages or make marketing calls to consumers, and must provide an easy way to opt out. Once in violation of Article 24 of the Regulations, administrative departments may impose penalties according to the law, including warnings, confiscation of illegal gains, fines ranging from one to ten times the amount of illegal gains; in cases where there are no illegal gains, the maximum fine can be 500,000 yuan. In serious cases, businesses may even face suspension for rectification or revocation of their business license.
As a leading brand in the new tea beverage market, HEYTEA should more actively implement legal regulations, strengthen employee education, ensure the security of customer personal data, and create an environment where consumers can shop with peace of mind. This incident also reminds all businesses that personal data protection is not just a legal responsibility, but also a cornerstone for sustainable enterprise operations.
Public information shows that HEYTEA was founded in 2012, with its headquarters located in Jiangmen, Guangdong. According to data from market research firm Frost & Sullivan, HEYTEA achieved retail sales of 9 billion yuan in 2023, ranking fifth among new tea beverage brands. Since opening franchising in November 2022, by the end of 2023, the total number of HEYTEA stores reached 3,200, including over 2,300 partnership stores, accounting for more than 70%. According to third-party platform Zhaomen Canyan data, as of August 2, 2024, its nationwide store count has increased to 4,191.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
