Sainsbury's announces facial recognition trial and nationwide rollout plans

Sainsbury's has begun an eight-week trial of live facial recognition (LFR) technology in two of its UK stores as part of efforts to tackle a sharp increase in retail crime. The supermarket chain, which is working with LFR provider Facewatch, says the technology is intended to identify and potentially ban people who are "violent, aggressive or steal in the store."

The move comes as official figures show that shoplifting offences in England and Wales have risen to the highest level on record. Sainsbury's stated that incidents of theft and threatening behaviour continue to rise, affecting its staff daily. The retailer's chief executive, Simon Roberts, said the trial is a response to the "deep concerns" of colleagues and customers, and is not about monitoring them. Sainsbury's also confirmed that facial scans will be deleted instantly if the software does not recognise a face. 

In a statement responding to the news, Senior Advocacy Officer Madeleine Stone at Big Brother Watch said: "Sainsbury's decision to trial Orwellian facial recognition technology in its shops is deeply disproportionate and chilling. Facial recognition surveillance turns shoppers into suspects, with devastating consequences for people's lives when it inevitably makes mistakes.

"Sainsbury's and Facewatch are adding customers to secret watchlists with no due process, meaning people are being falsely accused, grossly mistreated and blacklisted from shops, despite being entirely innocent. We are regularly hearing from and supporting distressed people who have been caught up in a confusing net of privatised surveillance, despite being entirely innocent.

"Facial recognition is dangerously out of control in the UK. Sainsbury's should abandon this trial and the government must urgently step in to prevent the unchecked spread of this invasive technology."