Sainsbury's trials facial ID in stores

Tech to crack down on shoplifting and violence raises concerns over privacy

- BY GRAHAM HISCOTT Head of Business

SAINSBURY'S is testing facial recognition tech in stores, sparking criticism from privacy groups.

The supermarket insists automatic scanning of customers’ faces via CCTV is to combat a rise in theft and violence against staff, not to monitor people.

But campaigners Big Brother Watch claimed the surveillance turns shoppers into suspects, with huge consequences when it “inevitably makes mistakes”.