Sainsbury’s has begun testing facial recognition technology in two of its UK stores as part of an eight-week trial, with the potential to expand nationwide.

The supermarket will initially roll out the system in its Sydenham superstore in London and the Bath Oldfield Sainsbury’s Local. Staff at both locations have been informed ahead of the trial.

The technology, provided by Facewatch, is designed to help the retailer identify individuals who have previously engaged in violent, aggressive, or criminal behaviour in stores.

The Standard reported that the system issues alerts based on criminal activity reported by the store or other Facewatch users nearby, and data is automatically deleted if a face is not matched to a flagged individual.

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Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts said the move is a response to rising retail crime and abuse towards staff: “The retail sector is at a crossroads, facing increasing abuse, anti-social behaviour and violence.

“We must put safety first. We understand that facial recognition technology can raise valid questions about data and privacy. This trial is focused solely on identifying serious offenders, not monitoring colleagues or our customers.”

The decision follows similar trials by other retailers, including Asda, Home Bargains, Flannels, and Sports Direct, which have faced criticism from privacy groups. According to official figures, there were 469,788 shoplifting offences recorded in the year to June, highlighting a broader increase in retail crime.

USDAW general secretary Joanne Thomas welcomed Sainsbury’s approach, saying: “We support Sainsbury’s ongoing work to protect retail workers and customers from abuse and violence. We look forward to seeing the results of this trial and will continue to work with the retailer to ensure a responsible, evidence-led approach.”

The trial is expected to run for eight weeks, after which Sainsbury’s will evaluate whether to roll the technology out more widely across its network.