Trial of Facial Recognition Technology rolled out in North Island Supermarkets
Foodstuffs have rolled out a six month trial of facial recognition technology across supermarkets in the North Island. The technology is aimed at identifying repeat offenders who shoplift or get violent inside stores.
There has been a 34% increase in retail crime in the last quarter. There has also been an average of two assaults per week in stores.
The facial recognition technology has been rolled out in 25 supermarkets including Tauranga, Rotorua, Hamilton, Rotorua, Napier, New Plymouth and Silverdale.
The technology will match the faces of people who enter the store against that store’s record of offenders and accomplices.
The system must detect a 90% match and be signed off by two specially trained team members before the information is acted on.
“New Zealanders deserve to shop for their milk and bread without having their faces scanned unless it’s really justified”
This quote is from Privacy Minister Michael Webster who has been briefed about the Facial Recognition Trial but has concerns over how effective and necessary it is.
“The concern is that FRT isn’t a proven tool in efforts to reduce harmful behaviour in supermarkets, especially violent harmful behaviour.
“We wouldn’t accept being fingerprinted and checked at the door before shopping for groceries – that sounds ludicrous – but FRT is a similar biometric process that is faster, machine-run, happens in a nanosecond and creates a template to compare your face to, now and in the future.”
Foodstuffs Noth Island CEO Chris Quin has said ‘the trial of facial recognition in our stores is part of our commitment to keeping our teams and customers safe”.
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