Experts warn Australian supermarkets' facial-recognition trials could expand beyond security

In an effort to address safety worries among retail workers, Coles and Woolworths have started pilot programmes that scan customers' faces as they enter stores, creating digital identifiers for each individual. While the companies say they are exploring ways to protect staff and shoppers, experts warn the technology could later be used for purposes such as personalised marketing or discriminatory pricing, a phenomenon called scope creep.

Specialists highlight that facial-recognition systems tend to perform poorly for people with darker skin tones, women and seniors, potentially leading to wrongful bans. Surveillance scholar Mark Andrejevic stresses the lack of mechanisms for customers to contest misidentifications. With no dedicated facial-recognition legislation in Australia, the practice is governed only by the general Privacy Act, which does not expressly regulate its use. Critics call for transparent guidelines, public accuracy reports and clear notifications for anyone captured by the system.