Report Confirms Facial Recognition Can Be Used Responsibly To Reduce Retail Crime

Retailers across New Zealand will welcome today’s findings from the Privacy Commissioner, which confirm that Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) can be used in a way that complies with the Privacy Act, paving the way for responsible use to help tackle rising retail crime, Retail NZ says.

Privacy Commissioner Michael Webster has released his review of the FRT trial conducted by Foodstuffs North Island. His report finds that the trial was compliant with the Privacy Act and the technology can be used with appropriate guardrails to protect individuals’ privacy.

Facial recognition technology is a powerful tool with the potential to help keep retail staff safe at work and to reduce crime, Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says.

“We applaud the huge amount of time and effort that Foodstuffs North Island has put into this trial, to achieve strong outcomes that lead the way for the wider retail sector,” Ms Young says.

“We also acknowledge the work of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and their public inquiry that ran alongside the FRT trial.”

The results of Foodstuffs North Island’s FRT trial clearly showed that the technology had made a measurable impact in reducing harm and improving safety in stores.

“Retailers are crying out for proactive solutions that prevent crime and enhance the safety of their staff and customers. Our members continue to face high rates of violence and crime, putting both their employees and the public at risk, as well as threatening the financial sustainability of retail businesses.

“We know that retailers across Aotearoa New Zealand have been watching the trial with great interest and a number are investigating FRT for their own operations in the near future.”

FRT is not going to be the solution for all businesses or all crime. Retailers may decide that it is not suitable for particular stores or locations, but it is a tool that retailers want to have available to consider alongside other crime prevention tools such as security guards, fog cannons, staff training, body cameras and other technology solutions, Ms Young says.

Retail crime is a significant issue in New Zealand, impacting more than 99% of retailers and costing well over $2.6 billion a year.

Retail NZ has formed a working group comprising a number of large retailers which is developing agreed approaches to crime prevention measures, including FRT.

“We will be taking time to review the details of the Privacy Commissioner’s report to understand how we can best support Retail NZ members with guidelines on how to use FRT responsibly,” Ms Young says.

Ms Young is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on retail crime which is also developing solutions to tackle retail crime.

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