"Convenience store spy cameras face legal challenge", 27 July 2022

The Southern Co-Op chain is facing a legal challenge to its use of facial recognition technology to cut crime.

Big Brother Watch has complained to the Information Commissioner's Office about biometric surveillance at its shops.

The privacy campaign group says the system at the convenience stores breaches data protection and people may end up on a watch-list without knowing.

But Southern says it is only using the Facewatch system in shops with a history of crime, to protect its staff.

The co-operative runs 200 convenience stores across southern England, of which 35 have the system installed.

A spokeswoman said the watch-list was not a list of people with criminal convictions, but of people for which the business had evidence of criminal or anti-social behaviour.

Big Brother Watch has challenged the legality of the system in a submission to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), shared with the BBC.

"The supermarket is adding customers to secret watch-lists with no due process, meaning shoppers can be spied on, blacklisted across multiple stores and denied food shopping despite being entirely innocent," said Big Brother Watch's director Silkie Carlo.

The complaint to the ICO claims the system breaches data protection laws because the information is processed in ways which are not proportionate to the need to prevent crime.

Big Brother Watch argues that facial recognition is "privacy-intrusive" in general, and "highly privacy-intrusive" for people whose details are on the watch-list.

Facewatch also provides the biometric cameras to Costcutter, Sports Direct, Spar, Nisa stores and Frasers Group.

The security system company said: "Facial recognition may be used where it is necessary because other methods to prevent crime, such as policing, CCTV and manned guarding, have tried and failed.

"Any privacy intrusion is minimal and proportionate. Facewatch is proven to be effective at crime prevention, and our clients experience a significant reduction in crime."