Asda launches facial recognition trial in five stores
Asda has begun a trial of live facial recognition technology in five Greater Manchester stores as it looks to evaluate its potential for improving staff and customer safety.
The supermarket saw around 1,400 assaults on colleagues last year, an average of four per day.
The technology has been integrated into Asda’s existing CCTV network and works by scanning images and comparing the results to a known list of individuals who have previously committed criminal activity on an Asda site.
Subscribe to TRBIf the automated system finds a match, a member of Asda’s head office security team will review it in seconds and give real time feedback to the store.
The trial will take place at stores in Ashton, Chadderton, Harpurhey, Eastlands and Trafford Park for an initial period of two months.
Figures from the British Retail Consortium’s annual crime survey have shown that incidents of violence and abuse in 2023/24 rose to over 2,000 per day from 1,300 in the prior year.
Liz Evans, chief commercial officer for non-food and retail at Asda, said: “The rise in shoplifting and threats and violence against shopworkers in recent years is unacceptable and as a responsible retailer we have to look at all options to reduce the number of offences committed in our stores and protect our colleagues.
“We consistently look for new ways to improve the security in our stores and this trial will help us understand if facial recognition technology can reduce the number of incidents and provide greater protection to everybody in our stores.”
