Chinese online marketplace Temu said on Saturday it would drop an advertising offer in which customers could hand over personal data indefinitely in exchange for coupons.

The campaign, which launched in the UK this month and has since been rolled out in France, promises customers up to €100 in vouchers if they download the Temu shopping app and invite others to sign up.

But the terms of the offer stipulate that Temu has the right to use most of a customer’s personal data for life without notice.

British news site The Independent reported this week that the terms cover “the use of photographs, likenesses, voices, opinions, statements, biographical information and/or hometown and state for promotional or advertising purposes in any media worldwide.”

Temu, owned by Chinese low-price retailer Pinduoduo, said in a statement to AFP that its offer had “achieved great success in France with many satisfied customers”.

However, the project was halted in both France and the UK due to “misunderstandings about the scope of customer data use”. Temu said it only involved “usernames and profile pictures”.

It did not respond to a request about whether the promotional offer was available in other countries.

“Temu is committed to maintaining customer confidentiality,” it said. “We do not and will not sell customer data.”

Earlier this month, Temu parent company Pinduoduo, a major rival of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, reported that net profit would rise 90% in 2023 to 60 billion yuan ($8.3 billion).