The Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) has opened an investigation regarding Decathlon Switzerland (media release).
Apparently, Decathlon Switzerland has made the sale of goods in its stores dependent on the customer giving the company contact details. After an initial written exchange, the FDPIC has now opened a formal investigation. The FDPIC can do this in different cases, e.g. if the processing methods used are likely to infringe the personality rights of a large number of people. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the FDPIC can make recommendations as to how the processing should be changed or whether it should be omitted altogether. If the recommendations are disregarded, the FDPIC can go to the Federal Administrative Court.
Examples of earlier recommendations and proceedings of the FDPIC which have found widespread, partially even global, attention concerned Google Street View and Moneyhouse.