NZ: Foodstuffs makes no apologies for use of facial recognition technology

NZ Herald reports:

Supermarkets giant Foodstuffs has defended its use of facial recognition technology to help combat shoplifters.

Foodstuffs, which includes the New World, Pak’nSave and Four Square brands, has said it uses facial recognition technology in some North Island stores, but won’t say which ones.

Well, it wouldn’t tell the media which stores, but it says it does post notices to customers in stores where such technology may be used:

“Where CCTV – which may include facial recognition technology – is used in our stores, signage alerts customers to the fact images may be taken, as per privacy requirements.

“Footage can only be used for the purpose it is intended, which is as a deterrent and tool against theft and as a means of keeping customers and staff safe.

Read more on NZ Herald.  And if you do read more, does it really sound unreasonable to do what they are doing to protect against repeat shoplifters? How is this different than stores entering bad check passers into a database? Remember the old days when if you wanted to pay by check, they ran it through some checking system?

Via Joe Cadillic, who I’m guessing may not agree with me on this one. 🙂