Tesco VAR-style AI camera sparks concerns from shoppers
Tesco has launched AI-powered cameras at selected self-checkout stations in a bid to tackle shoplifting, in a move that has sparked backlash from some shoppers.
The new technology uses overhead cameras to monitor self-checkout activity and replay footage on-screen when an item fails to scan.
If a product is missed, customers are shown a short clip of the moment in question alongside a prompt reading: “The last item wasn’t scanned properly. Remove from bagging area and try again.”
However, while the supermarket says the aim is to make the checkout process “quicker and easier”, some shoppers have taken to social media platforms to criticise the new tech, reported the BBC.
Some customers voiced privacy concerns, with one saying they’d no longer use self-checkouts due to the surveillance, while others mocked the initiative, likening it to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system used in professional football matches.
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One viral Instagram post, viewed over 3.5 million times, was captioned: “VAR Decision, Tuna Disallowed.”
The rollout comes as UK shoplifting hits record highs. Police recorded over 516,000 shoplifting offences in England and Wales last year, a 20% rise, according to the ONS. But industry body the British Retail Consortium puts the actual figure much higher, estimating 20.4 million thefts in the 12 months to last September, costing retailers around £2bn.
Tesco told the publication the self-checkout AI was part of ongoing work to improve security and efficiency in stores.
The technology mirrors similar efforts at Sainsbury’s, which has also started using AI recognition at self-checkouts in some locations.
It also follows Tesco’s recent clampdown on theft, which has extended beyond checkout cameras.
Earlier this year, it introduced anti-theft trolley-mounted scales in Gateshead to weigh shopping at self-service exits, a move that drew comparisons to airport security, while in February, it launched a new 24-hour, 365 day-manned security hub.
Tesco has been contacted for comment.
2 Comments. Leave new
Anything that beats thieves is good news far as I’m concerned. I’ve nothing to hide and there are cameras all over anyway.
More cameras please Tesco – the honest shoppers are paying for the loss created by the dishonest shoppers. Also, let’s not call it shoplifting because it is stealing and the people doing it are common thieves. Don’t call it ‘shrinkage’ – call it theft.