In today’s data-driven liquor and hospitality industry, information is one of the most valuable assets a supplier can hold. Yet, many businesses are unknowingly giving away their competitive edge by allowing third parties to access and aggregate their data without fully understanding how it’s being used.
At OnTap Data, we’ve seen how easily supplier information can be repurposed to benefit others in the market. Maintaining control of your data isn’t just about protecting accuracy, it’s about safeguarding your commercial independence.
The Growing Risk of Data Sharing
Many technology and analytics providers position themselves as partners in performance optimisation, promising better insights and business intelligence. However, some of these same providers also analyse or resell aggregated insights across their entire client network.
This means your sales and promotional data, developed through your own effort and investment, could be indirectly informing your competitors’ strategies. It also creates a situation where larger retail groups and corporate players can use those insights to strengthen their dominance in the marketplace.
There are increasing concerns within the industry that some data platforms are acting less as partners and more as data brokers.
What Data Integrity Really Means
Data integrity isn’t simply about maintaining accuracy or having clean, consistent records. It’s about ensuring ownership, control, and ethical use.
Suppliers should be confident that:
• Their data remains their intellectual property
• Access is limited to trusted systems and authorised users
• Their information isn’t being repurposed, shared, or monetised by third parties
When competitors or large corporations gain access to your insights, the balance of power shifts. Protecting your data is therefore not only a compliance or security issue—it’s a strategic one.
Steps to Protect Your Business
To maintain data integrity and avoid unintended exposure, suppliers should:
1. Audit existing integrations and partners. Understand where your data flows, who accesses it, and how it is used.
2. Seek transparency. Ask your technology providers direct questions about data ownership and secondary use.
3. Avoid broad data-sharing arrangements. Be cautious with platforms that serve multiple clients across competing sectors.
4. Partner with neutral providers. At OnTap Data, we operate under a clear principle: your data belongs to you.
5. Review your agreements. Ensure that all data-sharing and service contracts explicitly protect your commercial confidentiality.
The Broader Implication for the Industry
The Australian liquor market is built on innovation and independence. To preserve that, suppliers must take a proactive approach to data governance. Handing over your insights without clear boundaries risks empowering the very competitors you work so hard to outperform.
True progress in the industry will come from collaboration built on transparency and respect for data ownership. Ensuring your information works for you and only you is the foundation for fair competition and sustainable growth.