Coles’ new feature film angers Australians: ‘It feels really invasive’
An Australian shopper went wild after spotting a new feature on the self-checkouts at her local Coles store.
The woman was scanning her groceries at a self-checkout over the weekend when she noticed an image of her appeared in a small square in the upper right corner of the screen.
The camera technology is part of a series of new security measures rolled out by the supermarket giant in a desperate effort to combat rising theft incidents, which have increased by 20 percent this year amid the crisis. of the skyrocketing cost of living.
The new technology has sparked mixed reactions, with some shoppers furious to discover they are being watched in store.
‘Is this fucking bullshit? When you shop at Coles, you see yourself filmed in this square. Even more surveillance,” the furious woman wrote on social media.
“I had a shock when I saw myself on screen! It’s really invasive.
The woman was scanning her groceries at a self-checkout over the weekend when she noticed an image of her appeared in a small square in the upper right corner of the screen.
Her post was quickly flooded with comments from equally concerned shoppers.
“I know they will justify their reasons for having cameras for thefts etc., but I don’t like them at all.
Another added: “Thanks for posting this. I value my privacy and will not shop there.
Another suggested sticking gum on the camera.
Many have pointed out that Woolworths and Kmart have also implemented similar technology.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Coles for comment.
The supermarket giant recently announced it will “aggressively” roll out new technology that will track the movements of every shopper throughout the store.
Measures include cameras, trolley locks, smart gates and even fog machines.
“What we’ve done is take the best of what’s out there overseas and then improve it with a few other tweaks. So we believe we have world-class loss prevention technology in our stores,” said Coles operations director Matt Swindells. Current Affair.
“If you are a thief, we will catch you. »
Staff may wear duress watches that alert other workers of a potential incident or even wear a body camera that records all their interactions, like police officers.
“If you start threatening a member of staff, we will document it and take appropriate action,” Mr Swindells added.
The new system has been trialled by Coles across the country over the past six months, with an “aggressive” national rollout over the following three months.
Supermarket giant Coles is to “aggressively” roll out new technology that will track the movements of every shopper throughout the store.
