Asda shoppers could have faces 'scanned' in Midland stores as major trial continues

The supermarket is introducing a change to some stores in the UK

Asda has announced plans to integrate facial recognition technology into some of its UK stores.

The move is aimed at reducing crime committed in the supermarket, but some have described it as "Orwellian."

At the moment, the change is on trial at a number of shops in Greater Manchester and could be rolled out to stores in Great Barr, Tipton and Perry Barr.

The scheme went live on March 31, 2025, in Asda's Ashton, Chadderton, Harpurhey, Eastlands, and Trafford Park stores.

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The stores impacted include: Ashton (Cavendish St, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7PF) and Chadderton (Milne St, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 0JE) and Harpurhey (Harpurhey Shopping Centre, Manchester M9 4DJ) as well as Eastlands (Sport City, Ashton New Rd, Manchester M11 4BD) and Trafford Park (Barton Dock Rd, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester M41 7ZA).

Asda's non-food and retail chief commercial officer, Liz Evans, said: "The rise in shoplifting and threats and violence against shopworkers in recent years is unacceptable and as a responsible retailer we have to look at all options to reduce the number of offences committed in our stores and protect our colleagues.

“We consistently look for new ways to improve the security in our stores and this trial will help us understand if facial recognition technology can reduce the number of incidents and provide greater protection to everybody in our stores.”

However, some have condemned the move and labelled it "chilling."

Big Brother Watch’s Senior Advocacy Officer, Madeleine Stone, said: “ Asda ’s decision to deploy Orwellian facial recognition technology in its shops is deeply disproportionate and chilling.

"Facial recognition surveillance turns shoppers into suspects, by subjecting customers browsing the supermarket aisles to a series of biometric identity checks.

"Asda is adding customers to secret watchlists with no due process, meaning people could be blacklisted despite being innocent.

"Facial recognition has well-documented issues with accuracy and bias, and has already led to distressing and embarrassing cases of innocent shoppers being publicly branded as shoplifters."

The company collects still images from in-store CCTV of individuals staff suspect may be involved in “theft, violence and/or fraud in Asda stores”, though they may not be convicted of any crime.

Madeleine added: "Facial recognition is dangerously out of control in the UK.

"Asda should abandon this trial and the government must urgently step in to prevent the uncheckered spread of this invasive technology.”