Shufersal Ordered to Pay Compensation for Negligence After Sending 170 Wrong Text Messages

The Tel Aviv Small Claims Court has ordered Israeli retail giant Shufersal to pay significant compensation after it was found negligent in handling a case where a woman received hundreds of text messages intended for another customer. Over several years, the woman was bombarded with automated notifications about orders, verification codes, and delivery updates meant for a stranger named "Assaf." Despite multiple complaints, including messages via Shufersal's official Facebook page, the company failed to stop the messages until a formal lawsuit was filed.

The plaintiff claimed the ongoing messages caused privacy violations, wasted her time, and caused emotional distress. Shufersal argued the issue stemmed from a customer inputting an incorrect phone number and that it acted appropriately by requesting identifying information from the plaintiff. The court rejected these defenses, ruling that although the messages were operational and not spam, Shufersal's conduct amounted to "gross negligence." Documents showed that despite complaints starting in 2022 and again in October 2024, the messages were only stopped in March after the lawsuit was filed.

The court ordered Shufersal to pay the plaintiff 4,000 shekels in compensation plus 500 shekels in legal fees. This ruling sets an important precedent regarding corporate responsibility in addressing digital errors and preventing customer harassment. The case adds to a series of recent lawsuits against retail chains, including claims of discrimination and a multimillion-shekel suit against Shufersal's former CEO, Uri Viterman. The judgment underscores the necessity for companies to respond promptly and effectively to customer complaints, especially when privacy and emotional harm are involved.