An Edmonton man is raising concerns about privacy rights after his ID was scanned while buying cigarettes.

Nick Radloff said he was asked for ID last Thursday at an Esso Station at 178th Street and Stony Plain Road. The station is owned by 7-Eleven.

"She just automatically scanned it into her system," said Radloff, 35. "I said, 'Excuse me. What you are doing?' "

The clerk told him all IDs must be scanned to verify they're legal and valid, Radloff said.

Radloff followed up with the regional manager, who emailed him the directive from head office.

The directive sent to customer Nick Radloff in an email after he complained about his ID being scanned. (7-Eleven)

The directive states that the store's ID scanners do not collect personal information that could identify the customer.

Instead the scanners "read only anonymous information (expiry date, province, date of birth, and only the last four digits of a driver's licence)."

Regional manager Ans Ramdass wrote, "if you do not want your ID or driver's licence scanned, our sales associates have been instructed to respect your decision."

Radloff said the clerk never asked him for his permission.

"You have to have my consent," he said. "That's my right as a Canadian citizen. And when I exercise my right I should be respected with that."

Use of personal data

7-Eleven's policy was implemented on April 24 across their 650 stores. In a statement to CBC News Saturday 7-Eleven said the policy was put in place "to further reduce the risk that tobacco products would be sold to minors."

"7-Eleven respects the privacy of its customers, which is why not personally identifiable information is retained upon ID scanning," the statement said.

But Radloff questions whether his personal information that was collected is safe — pointing to identity theft, hacking of major systems and the sale of personal data.

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta has looked into a number of such complaints over the past decade, said spokesperson Scott Sibbald.

He pointed to a 2005 investigation that deemed it unreasonable for Canadian Tire to scan driver's licence data to prevent fraud during returns. As a result, Canadian Tire changed its policy across Canada, Sibbald said.

Similarly, an order in 2008 resulted in rules limiting the collection of data by liquor establishments.

Radloff said he is in the process of filing a complaint with the privacy commissioner but hopes speaking out in the meantime will serve as a warning for others.

"It's up to us," he said. "Corporations can't just tell us, 'We're taking your personal information.'

"These are very private, sensitive matters."