Facial recognition gone wrong (again): Sainsbury’s suspends AI software in one of its stores
An apology and a voucher are not enough.
Image by Cybernews.
- Sainsbury’s paused facial recognition at its East Dulwich store after staff wrongly accused Matt Arnold of shoplifting.
- The company apologized, blamed human error rather than the software, and said staff will receive more training.
- Arnold received a £150 goodwill voucher, which he donated to a community food bank.
- The case adds to concerns that facial recognition in shops can misidentify customers and cause public humiliation.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
The British supermarket chain says the suspension is temporary while staff undergoes additional training, as the error wasn’t caused by the software.
Sainsbury’s decided to halt the use of its facial recognition technology at one of its shops after it was used to misleadingly accuse a customer of shoplifting.
Matt Arnold was shopping at Sainsbury’s, located in the East Dulwich store, when he was stopped at the self-service checkout.
The incident took place at the beginning of August, when Arnold was shopping for a stand-up event and waiting for a staff member to approve some of the purchases.
Instead of getting help from an employee, the customer was met by two management staff members, who informed him that he would not be able to complete his shopping because of a situation that had occurred “earlier in the week.”
It was then revealed that the man had been flagged by the shop’s facial recognition system and later asked to leave the premises by staff.
The next day, Arnold was contacted by Sainsbury's head office and received an apology, with the company attributing the situation to "human error" rather than a software issue.
This isn’t the first time Sainsbury’s has been involved in similar situations. The company, which uses FaceWatch software to flag potential shoplifters, drew attention after it misidentified another shopper, Warren Rajah.
Stay updated with our latest stories and follow us on social media
Be the first to discover new stories, ideas, and updates from our team.
When an apology isn’t enough
Such situations often leave shoppers angry and confused. Many don’t even know what to do after being escorted out, and some are scared to return to the supermarket for fear of being humiliated again.
While Arnold received an apology and a £150 (around $203) goodwill voucher from the store, which he donated to a community food bank, this wasn’t the only thing the store did to appease the situation.
Sainsbury's spokesperson told the BBC that the facial recognition technology has been paused at the Dulwich store. Nevertheless, the spokesperson once again claimed that the issue stemmed not from the error within the software, but from “a human error.”
The company also revealed that the software suspension is a "precautionary measure" to ensure this doesn’t happen again while its employees undergo additional training.
While businesses might claim that facial recognition technology is helpful, some activists are already devising ways to evade it.
These include masks, infrared eyewear, makeup, and adversarial clothing, which might confuse some systems. However, they all come with some limitations and legal risks: in some areas, it’s illegal to wear a mask or hide your face.
