Iceland boss Richard Walker has said he would “happily” trial facial recognition technology in stores to tackle the rise in retail crime and protect shop workers.
The supermarket chair wrote on LinkedIn: “Whilst we don’t yet use it, I will happily trial and use legal, proportionate facial recognition technology as an effective response to the very real threat my colleagues face.”
Walker also advocated that security guards should receive more legal powers.
He added: “Security guards are very limited in their ability to act against brazen, professional criminals who operate without fear of consequence.
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“Enhanced legal powers – to search and safely detain offenders – would create a stronger deterrent for criminals and help restore safer high streets for everyone.”
Walker’s comments come after crime and policing minister Dame Diana Johnson revealed plans last week to remove the current £200 threshold in the shoplifting charter to tackle the rise in retail crime.
Supermarkets alongside Iceland have taken to introducing their own measures amid the shoplifting epidemic, with Tesco installing security robots and Morrisons’ trial of mobile ‘RoboCop’ style security cameras.
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