Amid rising retail crime rates, Iceland’s head, Richard Walker, expresses readiness to trial facial recognition technology.
- Walker advocates for legal and proportional use of new technologies to protect staff against increasing threats.
- There is a call for enhanced legal powers for security personnel to more effectively deter crimes.
- Recent governmental moves suggest removing barriers to better tackle shoplifting incidents.
- Other retailers are also adopting innovative security measures to combat the shoplifting epidemic.
Richard Walker, the chair of Iceland, has publicly declared his openness to piloting facial recognition technology within stores. This initiative is aimed at addressing a surge in retail theft and enhancing the safety of employees. Walker’s statement, made via LinkedIn, emphasizes the necessity of applying legal and proportionate facial recognition technology, underscoring the very real threat faced by retail staff.
In addition to technological solutions, Walker has pushed for an expansion of the legal powers granted to security guards. Currently, these security personnel are considerably restricted in their ability to respond to bold and professional criminals, who often act without concern for repercussions. Walker suggests that providing enhanced legal powers, such as the authority to search and detain offenders safely, would strengthen deterrents against crime and contribute to safer shopping environments.
This proactive stance follows recent announcements by the crime and policing minister, Dame Diana Johnson, who proposed the elimination of the £200 threshold in the shoplifting charter. This move is seen as a step towards curbing the escalating issue of retail crime. By reducing existing limitations, it’s believed that retailers could more effectively counteract shoplifting trends.
Other supermarkets are also introducing innovative measures to combat this problem. For instance, Tesco is experimenting with security robots, while Morrisons is trialing mobile security cameras modeled after fictional ‘RoboCop’ technology. These efforts highlight a broader trend across the industry to explore and implement new technologies to safeguard retail spaces.
In summary, Iceland’s leadership is actively considering both technological and legal avenues to combat shoplifting, reflecting a broader industry trend towards enhanced security measures.
