Yes, this looks like a problem. I'm glad over here in Holland we don't use creditcards for every day purchases.
Yeah, it is kind of scary that there is a database about me and my habits I guess. But I comfort myself with that I cant be targeted with ads targeted by this surveillance (or any other ads), coz I have blocked them everywhere ever since the first adblock was invented. Dont watch TV without a PVR so I can skip the commersials with the push of a button. Only way to escape such surveillance is to use cash, but credit cards is way too comfortable for me :/