Popular Grocery Store With NJ Locations Admits To Using Facial Recognition
If you feel like the grocery store is watching you a little more closely lately, you are not imagining it.
Some grocery chains are now using facial recognition technology as part of their security setup, and it is officially a real-world thing, not just the plot of a drama. The biggest name making waves right now is Wegmans, which confirmed it has started using facial recognition in a small number of stores.
Signs recently appeared at Wegmans locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, informing customers that the technology is being used to protect shoppers and employees. The company says it is limited to stores that show a higher risk for theft or other issues. They have not said which New Jersey locations, if any, are using it.
That uncertainty is part of what makes people uneasy. You may walk in to grab milk and bread and have no idea whether your face is being scanned.
Why grocery stores are using facial recognition
Retail theft is expensive, and grocery stores say this tech helps them keep prices down and employees safe. Wegmans says its system only flags people who were previously involved in funny business. In theory, if you have never caused a problem, the system does not care about you.
Fun fact: that theory has already been tested in New Jersey.
A recent NJ.com report highlighted a ShopRite shopper who said he was wrongly labeled a shoplifter after accidentally leaving without paying for bottled water. On his next visit, he says loss prevention confronted him with photos and receipts like a criminal. The kicker is that the store did not have signs warning customers that facial recognition was being used.
That experience raised serious questions about transparency, accuracy, and how long someone remains "flagged" after a mistake.
READ MORE: These Popular Grocery Stores Are Missing From Most of NJ
Lawmakers are paying attention
New Jersey lawmakers are now stepping in. A bill sponsored by Kristin Corrado would limit when retailers can use facial recognition, allowing it only for legitimate safety reasons. The push comes after several high-profile cases in which people were flagged or banned without clear explanations.
Corrado says people should not be treated as suspects simply for shopping.
