Foodstuffs South Island is expanding its use of facial recognition (FR) technology to a fourth Christchurch store, following a successful trial period that saw 531 confirmed matches with repeat retail offenders. The initiative, which aims to curb serious in-store harm, demonstrated high accuracy with zero misidentifications, leading the company to integrate the system into additional locations.
Why is Foodstuffs expanding facial recognition?
According to Foodstuffs South Island, the primary goal of deploying facial recognition is to improve safety for both staff and customers. During a three-month trial conducted between October 2025 and January 2026, the company reported that repeat offenders were less likely to return to stores using the technology. Kent Mahon, head of retail for Foodstuffs South Island, stated, “The focus has always been on reducing harm. The trial showed we can do that while keeping accuracy high and respecting customer privacy.” By identifying individuals with a history of harmful behavior, the stores aim to proactively manage security risks.
How does the facial recognition process work?
The system is not a blanket surveillance tool for every shopper. When an individual enters a participating store, the FR system checks their image against a specific watchlist of people previously involved in serious retail crime. If a match is detected, an alert is sent to trained staff members. According to Foodstuffs, two team members must manually review the alert to confirm the match before deciding on an appropriate response, which may include observing the individual, contacting the Police, or requesting that the person leave the premises if it is safe to do so.
What measures are in place to protect privacy?
Foodstuffs South Island maintains that each store must undergo rigorous privacy, legal, and risk assessments before the technology is implemented. To ensure transparency, stores are required to display prominent signage alerting customers that facial recognition is in use. The company has committed to ongoing monitoring of system performance and provides an updated list of participating stores on its official website. This approach contrasts with earlier, less transparent surveillance methods, as the company emphasizes that the current system is designed to be deployed both “carefully and responsibly.”
Future outlook and store adoption
While the initial trial stores—New World St Martins, Pak’nSave Papanui, and Pak’nSave Moorhouse—continue to use the technology, New World Stanmore is the latest to join the list. Although other locations have expressed interest in the system, Foodstuffs has not yet confirmed further rollouts beyond the current expansion. The company continues to prioritize its commitment to reducing retail crime while balancing the need for customer privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does facial recognition identify every shopper? No, the system checks visitors against a specific, limited watchlist of repeat offenders involved in serious retail crime.
- Are there false positives with this technology? During the three-month trial period, Foodstuffs reported zero misidentifications or false positives.
- How do staff respond to a match? Trained team members manually verify the alert before deciding on a response, such as approaching the individual or contacting the police.
- Where can I see which stores use FR? Foodstuffs maintains an updated list of stores utilizing facial recognition technology on its official website.
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