Foodstuffs North Island is embarking on a groundbreaking trial, marking the debut of facial recognition technology (FRT) in New Zealand supermarkets. This initiative aims to address the surge in retail crime, with 4719 incidents recorded in the final quarter of the previous year, a third of which involved repeat offenders, according to Julian Benefield, Foodstuffs North Island’s general counsel.
To tackle the challenge of identifying trespassers, the trial will involve up to 25 Pak’nSave and New World stores over the next six months, commencing tomorrow. Currently, store staff face difficulties in recalling every individual who has been trespassed, especially considering the potential changes in appearance such as hairstyle alterations or facial hair growth, as highlighted by Ranjeet Singh from Pak’nSave Ormiston’s security team.
The FRT system will operate by scanning every individual entering the supermarket and comparing their facial features with a database of known offenders sourced from security footage. This pre-enrollment of individuals involved in violent or abusive incidents allows for immediate identification upon entry, with detailed information on their offense and trespass notice readily accessible to security personnel.
Notably, the technology boasts advanced capabilities to recognise faces obscured by various factors like hoods, glasses, or wigs, owing to years of development and collaboration with external parties. Benefield emphasised their commitment to privacy protection, having consulted with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and engaged an independent evaluator to ensure minimal privacy impacts on customers.
Furthermore, strict measures are in place to restrict data usage solely for retail security purposes, with no data sharing between stores employing facial recognition technology. Participating stores will display signs to notify customers of the surveillance.
However, Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster expressed reservations about the effectiveness of FRT in curbing violent offending, prompting an inquiry into its usage as part of Foodstuffs North Island’s trial. He stressed the importance of gathering evidence to assess the technology’s efficacy in reducing harm and violent behavior.
Despite concerns, Singh welcomed the introduction of FRT as an additional tool to enhance safety measures, enabling better anticipation of potential threats.
