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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Sarah Butler and agency

Sainsbury’s tests facial recognition technology in effort to tackle shoplifting

Customers in a Sainsbury's aisle
The privacy group Big Brother Watch called it ‘chilling’. A similar trial by Asda last year was sharply criticised. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Sainsbury’s has begun testing the use of controversial facial recognition technology in its UK shops as part of efforts to tackle shoplifters.

The UK’s second largest supermarket chain told staff in two stores – a supermarket in Sydenham, south-east London, and convenience store in Oldfield Park in Bath– that it was starting an eight-week trial before potentially rolling out the technology nationwide.

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