GIVEN THE GO AHEAD: RETAILERS SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT USING FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY IN FIGHT AGAINST RETAIL CRIME

Our Shop Workers Deserve More

No matter who we are, every individual across the UK relies on shops, both big and small, to provide us with access to food, clothes, and other necessities. Without these shops and the individuals serving customers on a daily basis, life as we know it would cease to exist and the country would come to a standstill.

This was particularly evident during the pandemic, when we relied on our shop workers to serve us even when the rest of us were isolating at home. Their dedication during this period was clear and, as the Home Secretary, The Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, rightly states in the newly published ‘Fighting Retail Crime’ report, “we must show them all the respect they deserve, and that means sending the clear and unequivocal message that violence or abuse against shopworkers will never be tolerated”.

An Unprecedented Rise in Shoplifting and Retail Crime

This new report and its accompanying action plan has been launched amid an unprecedented rise in shoplifting cases, with offences at their highest level in 20 years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). With a 37% rise in cases between December 2022 and December 2023 - totalling 430,104 offences - the Government finally recognises the need for a comprehensive action plan, including the deployment of facial recognition technology (FRT).

More recently, the Government has announcement that it will be investing £55.5 million into facial recognition tools to complement its official action plan, known as Project Pegasus, in a bid to crackdown on shoplifting and retail crime.

Retailers have welcomed the Government’s official action plan, launched in October 2023, as they have long warned that thieves have been given “free rein” by the police, with perpetrators becoming bolder, more aggressive, and more frequently armed with weapons. As a result, shop workers regularly experience violence and abuse.

Without proportionate action, consumers will also face rising costs at a time when many are already struggling as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, as retailers raise their prices as they continue to bear the brunt of shoplifting. One such example is the Co-Op Group, which revealed staggering losses of £70 million, following a surge in retail crime last year.

Reducing Retail Crime: A Collaborative Approach ‘Project Pegasus’

Commissioned by Policing Minister, Chris Philp MP, Project Pegasus is the first initiative of its kind and brings together retailers and policing, as they aim to set out measures to tackle the rise in shoplifting, catch more offenders and keep retail workers safe. The initiative has been backed by the Home Office, John Lewis, the Co-Op, M&S, Boots, Primark and several more retailers, who have collectively pledged to provide over £840,000 to get the initiative off the ground.

Project Pegasus aims to radically improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with policing, to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders. Included within the plan is a commitment by the police to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shoplifting instances which involve violence against a shop worker, where security guards have detained an offender, or where attendance is needed to secure evidence.

Reducing Retail Crime: The Role of Facial Recognition Technology

A key component of Project Pegasus is the deployment of facial recognition technology, and as such, the UK Government has recently announced a significant investment of more than £55 million to enhance facial recognition systems, including the use of mobile units equipped with live facial recognition technology on crowded high streets.

This investment over the next four years will enable the identification of those individuals wanted by the police, including repeat offenders and potentially dangerous individuals. The plan also highlights how facial recognition can play a key role in providing evidence for police to pursue perpetrators and how it will aid them in the identification and prosecution of offenders.

As a company, we have long believed that our facial recognition technology has the power to help tackle the issue of retail crime. Designed to protect, our technology provides a reliable and efficient means of keeping people safe by identifying those individuals known to be a risk. Considering this, we strongly support the newly announced collaboration between retailers, police and crime commissioners through Project Pegasus, as well as the Government’s significant investment into facial recognition technology. This multi-faceted and joined up approach has the potential to successfully crackdown on shoplifting and the abuse and violence associated with it.

Once installed by a retailer, our facial recognition technology acts as a strong deterrent against shoplifting and criminal activity, particularly given the stricter punishments newly introduced via an amendment to the criminal justice bill (offenders could face wearing a tag, as well as potential imprisonment for up to six months and unlimited fines).

On top of this, our software is the most robust and accurate on the market, allowing retailers, both big and small, to take control of their premises without needing to employ someone to actively watch the doors. The passive nature of our technology allows retailers to focus their efforts on their primary job at hand – serving customers – with the reassurance that any ‘problem’ individuals will be flagged and security alerted.

Facial Recognition Technology: Challenging Common Misconceptions

Despite the reliability and accuracy of our software, the media continue to demonise the technology, claiming that it is biased and inaccurate. This is not the case with our state-of-the-art technology, yet many retailers are so concerned about potential reputational damage that they feel unable to use it, despite the threat faced by their staff and the huge financial losses experienced as a result of retail crime.

Recently, the Crime and Policing Minister, Chris Philp MP, has emphasised how artificial intelligence, such as FRT, is a powerful tool for good, with huge opportunities to advance policing and cut crime. On top of this, it has the power to free up police time and resources, meaning that more officers can be out on the beat, engaging with communities and carrying out investigations.  

In response to individuals claiming that FRT is not legitimate, Chris Philp MP has reiterated its sound legal basis, which has been confirmed by the courts. It is worth noting that FRT has already enabled a significant number of serious criminals to be caught, including for murder and sexual offences.

A Game Changer in the Fight Against Retail Crime

As a company, we strongly believe that the initiation of Pegasus, as well as the Government’s £55.5 million investment in FRT, is a watershed moment in the fight against retail crime and represents a significant step forward.

As the Head of Security for the John Lewis Partnership, Nicki Juniper, stated: “Retail crime is not victimless, it has an impact on our Partners [shopworkers], customers and on prices”. Working with retailers across the country, we have heard first-hand the stories of abuse and violence faced by shop workers, and so we wholeheartedly welcome the Government’s investment in, and support of, facial recognition technology in a bid to reduce retail crime – none of these shop workers signed up for the threat they increasingly face while serving their customers.

Finally, as the Government and police work with retailers to ensure that they are using facial recognition to its fullest potential to prevent retail crime, we strongly hope that retailers will now feel empowered to take control of their premises and feel confident in their use of FRT.

If you are a retailer and are interested in learning more about how our software works and how we can support you with our facial recognition software, please contact us for an online demo by emailing: info@thefacerecognitioncompany.com.

You can find out more about the Government’s Fighting Retail Crime report, published in April 2024, by clicking here.
[Link: Fighting Retail Crime (publishing.service.gov.uk)].

[Link: Action plan to tackle shoplifting launched - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)]. 

Shop workers feel “unsafe” BBC reports.