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Coles, keep Palantir surveillance tech out of our supermarkets

Coles, keep Palantir surveillance tech out of our supermarkets

With GetUp, we're calling on Coles to re-consider their problematic partnership with US tech company Palantir.
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How it works
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Why this campaign

Coles has brought big surveillance into everyday shoppers’ experience. 

Three years ago they signed a contract with controversial US tech company Palantir. They are the first Australian retailer to do so, and it’s raising serious concerns about what information is being collected on workers and shoppers - and who can access it. 

The progressive NGO GetUp has been raising their concerns with Coles, with over 80,000 community members signing a petition calling on Coles to terminate their partnership with Palatir. 

But they’ve seen little movement from the supermarket. 

The contract is up for renewal early next year. The next few months are a crucial time for shareholders and the broader community to encourage Coles to re-consider this problematic partnership. 

SIX and GetUp are working together to build shareholder power in the lead up to Coles’ Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November 2026. Read on to learn more about the campaign and get involved! 

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The problem

  • Reputational risk: Coles is risking its reputation by linking itself with a controversial company with questionable ethics. Palantir is well-known for its work with the US Immigration and Custom Enforcement agency (ICE), identifying and tracking migrants and asylum seekers for deportation [1]. Amnesty International has previously accused Palantir of being involved in “serious human rights abuses” - referencing the company’s contract with ICE, whose raids in the US resulted in children being separated from their parents.[2]

  • Workers’ rights: According to Coles this technology is watching staff to “optimise its workforce”, analysing team members, shifts and allocations, every day.[3] The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWA) were taken by surprise when Coles signed with Palantir. Secretary Josh Cullinan said that RAFFWU’s concerns came from previous failures to consider workers’ rights when implementing “data-driven” reforms [4]
  • Lack of transparency: Beyond some media quotes, it’s a challenge to find clear, public information about Coles’ Palantir contract and how the data is being used. Coles is now feeding more than 10 billion rows of data into Palantir's platform, covering 840 stores, 120,000 employees and 9000 suppliers - but we’re left with many questions about how this data is used and who can access it. Human rights organisation Digital Rights Watch names this partnership part of a “worrying trend” of Australian companies choosing to work with Palantir, noting “Palantir collects data in Australia but is unrestricted in where it stores the data and who it allows to access it.”[5]

  • Coles isn’t providing the clarity that shareholders and the broader community need: GetUp has formally written to Coles CEO Leah Weckert to request clarity on the contract timeline and on what data is being collected, where it is being stored and who has access. They’ve yet to receive a clear response to their questions. 

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The opportunity

  • Shareholder pressure around AI is on the rise overseas, laying the foundation for Australian investors to raise their concerns. Shareholders increasingly have concerns about how data is being collected and protected, and who has access to it. Questions about the impact of AI technology on people are reflected in the rise of shareholder proposals about the social risk of AI in the US.[6] Australia tends to follow the US in shareholder matters, so we can leverage this trend to raise our concerns.

  • Community concern is growing: Over 83,000+ people have already signed GetUp’s petition calling on Coles to end its partnership with Palantir and be transparent about how staff, customer & community data has been used. As we move towards AGM season, momentum for accountability is growing.

  • Coles is getting ready to make a decision:  The contract was announced as a three-year arrangement in February 2024, meaning it should be up for renewal in early 2027. Internal discussions and decisions will be taking place right now, meaning this is a vital time for Coles to hear concerns from shareholders and the wider community about this partnership.
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Target companies

Coles Group Limited

COL

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References

[1] Sadler D (2024, February 6). Coles inks deal with controversial big data firm. ACS. 

[2] Amnesty International (2020). Failing to do right: the urgent need for Palantir to respect human rights.

[3] Munn L (2024, February 9). Solving the supermarket: why Coles just hired US defence contractor Palantir. ABC News. 

[4] Wilson C (2025, July 8). From ICE to Coles: Controversial US tech company Palantir’s links to Australia spark backlash. Crikey. 

[5] Digital Rights Watch (2026, February 1). Palantir in Australia.

[6] Cavé, A., O’Brien, N., & Hearon, A. (2024, September 29). Unveiling key trends in AI shareholder proposals. Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. 

Header photo: Philip Mallis

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