Sainsbury's has launched an eight-week trial of facial recognition technology in two UK stores to combat shoplifting, sparking criticism from privacy campaigners. The trial is taking place at a supermarket in Sydenham, south-east London, and a convenience store in Oldfield Park, Bath, with potential nationwide rollout if successful.
The supermarket chain says the technology, developed by Facewatch, aims to identify individuals who are violent, aggressive, or steal. Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts stated that the trial is focused on serious offenders and not on monitoring colleagues or customers. The company notes that records are deleted instantly if no match is found.
Privacy group Big Brother Watch condemned the trial as 'Orwellian' and 'chilling', urging the government to intervene. The criticism follows similar backlash against Asda's facial recognition trial and a Metropolitan Police plan deemed unlawful by the Equality and Human Rights Commission due to potential racial bias.
Retail crime in England and Wales reached a record high in the year to April, with over 500,000 shoplifting offences recorded. Sainsbury's says incidents of theft and abuse continue to rise despite police and government collaboration. The Usdaw union welcomed the trial as part of efforts to protect retail workers.
