Face Off: Facial Recognition Technology – can it tackle retail crime epidemic?
Retail Crime is epidemic throughout Ireland – but we are seeing evidence of retailers considering advanced technology in their fight against theft and violent attacks. Asda is leading the way for supermarkets, and some convenience stores in London have introduced permanent FRT (Facial Recognition Technology).
While ome shops are pushing ahead with plans to install the system, investment is costly and the technology is controversial.
Biometric software utilises physical characteristics such as facial, fingerprint or voice recognition to verify a user’s identity.
If the person in that photo is present in the database, the computer will nominate the image as a possible match, for police officers to then make a determination.
In Ireland, the Department of Social Protection began using biometric software to confirm identities since 2011. By 2023, over 100 cases of identity fraud have been detected by the department, amounting to a total of over €6m.
Another 200 cases of suspected fraud flagged by facial recognition software are currently under investigation.
Similar technology is used when you present your biometric passport at the airport. The camera is searching your face for individual characteristics.
Most of us use it everyday now on our phone apps.
In 2023, the then Minister for Justice Helen McEntee announced that she has received government approval to publish the General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill 2023, which will allow An Garda Síochána use Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) in specific circumstances.
Now, we are seeing evidence of FRT (Facial Recognition Technology) being used as a tool to tackle crime in shops and supermarkets.
Trial of live facial recognition
Supermarket chain Asda has now launched a trial of live facial recognition, where shoppers in some stores will have their faces scanned in a bid to reduce retail crime.
Asda has said it is in response to a growing number of incidents where staff have been threatened and attacked – but campaigners have branded the trial “disproportionate” and “chilling”.
The two-month trial will see the faces of shoppers scanned and compared to a database of “individuals who have previously committed criminal activity on an Asda site”.
The supermarket giant said it’s in response to a rise in retail crime, with more than 1,400 assaults on staff in Asda stores recorded last year – an average of four per day.
The first permanent installation of live facial recognition (LFR) cameras will be the South London suburb of Croydon, the Metropolitan Police has confirmed.
The installation this summer follows a two-year trial in the area where police vans fitted with the cameras have been patrolling the streets, matching people to its database of suspects or criminals.
According to the Met, the cameras will only be turned on when officers are in the area and in a position to make an arrest if a criminal is spotted.
While some privacy campaigners have likened the move to George Orwell’s ‘Big Brother’, the response from the public is said to be largely favourable and local retailers are unlikely to oppose the measure.
If it tackles in-store crime, and protects businesses, staff and customers, then it can only be a good thing. Perhaps a grant scheme to enable retailers to invest in the technology would be a step forward.
