Taxpayers' groups have accused UK councils of breaching civil liberties after it was found that they have been going through rubbish to compile social profiles.
A Freedom of Information request from the Daily Mail discovered at least 90 authorities have been secretly screening the contents of bins in order to glean information about their class and wealth.
Contractors have been employed to check supermarket labels, discarded mail and waste food, with residents in Leeds, Kensington and Chelsea, Swindon and Cheshire East all affected.
The information is then used to target particular households for recycling campaigns and other targeted mailings based on categories like "hard-pressed" or "wealthy achievers".
It was also outlined in official guidelines that the initiative should be kept a secret.
"Ideally, you do not want to inform the public of an audit taking place, as this could alter their disposal behaviour," the information said.
Fiona McEvoy of the TaxPayers' Alliance slammed councils for being "highly intrusive", especially at a time when many homeowners are struggling financially.
"Local authorities should abandon their fascination with what's inside our bins once and for all and concentrate on cutting the considerable fat within town halls," she commented.
This comes just weeks after authorities were criticised over their use of counter-terrorism measures on the general public.
Big Brother Watch found that powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act are being used by councils up to 11 times a day for minor misdemeanours like failing to clean up dog waste.
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