Draconian change coming to major California grocery store chain — and shoppers are furious

A Bay Area grocery chain is bringing in facial recognition technology to try to snare shoplifters — but regular customers are furious.

The move is set to be deployed at some Grocery Outlet stores, concerning shoppers their privacy could be infringed upon.

The Emeryville-based chain is using software called SAFR, and shoppers will be notified that facial recognition is being used to catch people suspected of shoplifting. One store in Pleasant Hill, in Contra Costa County, will use the technology.

California has one of the worst records in the US on shoplifting, as it has skyrocketed 50% since the pandemic.

Experienced store manager June Guerrero says she understands why the brand is using facial recognition.

“I worked for years as a manager of a store and the theft was just unbelievable,” Guerrero told CBS News. “I agree with it.”

Shoppers think privacy and accuracy are their top concerns.

“I do understand, but invading my privacy with my picture. I don’t agree on that,” Barbara Jackson told CBS News. “You gotta find a better way.”

“It could lead to a lot of problems, I think for companies and businesses and people,” Steve Burdette added.

An attorney who is an expert in digital privacy said the technology presumes guilt by scanning every person who enters the store.

“This is a dragnet that scans everyone. Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, your face is being scanned,” Mario Trujillo, who works with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said. “What you’re essentially doing is violating the privacy rights of every customer who walks into your store.”

San Jose State engineering professor Dr. Ahmed Banafa said the technology could open the grocery store chain up to lawsuits over profiling if there aren’t safeguards in place.

“The human has to be in the loop. It’s not just the system that says it’s a match. The human will make the final decision,” he said.  “AI is famous for going after, you know, certain races.”

SAFR President Charisse Jacques said is not connected to law enforcement and does not build a public database of people entering stores. Jacques insists the tech only stores info on shoplifting suspects and is only kept for a limited time.

SAFR has also never shared information with the government or ICE and has never been asked to do so.

Grocery stores have also been under fire for altering digital price tags.

Walmart found another way to nickel-and-dime shoppers before they even get to the checkout, as back in 2024, the retail giant revealed it would add digital shelf labels — or DSLs — to all US stores.

Some shoppers fear dynamic pricing would peek its sneaky head out.

Also known as surge pricing, the controversial practice is where businesses have the ability to adjust their prices in real-time with digital tags. The changes are based on market conditions like demand, competitor pricing and inventory — or so they claim.