Foodstuffs South Island (FSSI) will expand the use of facial recognition technology to more stores after a three-month trial showed changes in store safety.
The three Christchurch stores involved in the trial will continue using the system, while New World Stanmore will begin using the technology from June 8.
Other stores dealing with harmful in-store behaviour have also expressed interest in the system, although no further rollouts have been confirmed.
The trial ran from October last year to January this year and aimed to identify and manage individuals with a history of serious and harmful in-store behaviour. According to FSSI, the system recorded 531 confirmed matches with people of interest and did not record any misidentifications or false positives.
Kent Mahon, head of retail at Foodstuffs South Island, said the trial results showed the technology could be deployed carefully and responsibly.
“The focus has always been on reducing harm. The trial showed we can do that while keeping accuracy high and respecting customer privacy,” Mahon said.
Staff feedback indicated that repeat offenders were less likely to return to the trial stores. Incidents involving threatening or harmful behaviour declined, allowing store teams to intervene earlier and reduce risks to employees and customers.
FSSI said each store will be required to complete privacy, legal and risk assessments before implementing the technology. Signage informing customers about the use of facial recognition will also be displayed in stores.
The company will continue to monitor system performance and update the list of stores using the technology on its website.
