GB News host Eamonn Holmes has taken aim at supermarket giant Asda for introducing facial recognition technology to tackle Britain's shoplifting epidemic, claiming big chain stores have "brought it on themselves".The two-month trial implemented by Asda integrates the technology into the supermarket's existing CCTV network amid record-high levels of shoplifting and staff assaults.FULL STORY HERE.
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00:00And if you go shopping at Asda, you will be subjected to facial recognition.
00:05Let's talk to Paula London and Chris Akabusi about that.
00:09Paula, your story.
00:10Yes, I mean, in the moment, there's so much shoplifting going on.
00:14It's prolific.
00:15But I think the best thing that they can do would be to put people back on the tills again,
00:20and that will cut shoplifting hugely.
00:22Totally agree.
00:23But in the meantime, facial recognition is great.
00:25If you've got nothing wrong, I don't think it's a problem.
00:28But we could go down a dangerous path, and we don't end up like China,
00:32where everyone is being watched all throughout the day.
00:35But what I find so annoying is when I'm in a supermarket,
00:38using the self-checkout, and then someone's staring at me.
00:41And I just feel like if you don't trust me to do this, you can just serve me.
00:45But they don't want to serve.
00:46They just seem to want to stare at you.
00:48These big shops have brought this on themselves.
00:50I watched a documentary on this last week, and they were walking around asking the question,
00:55why are people shoplifting?
00:57Why are more people shoplifting?
00:58Well, why do you think?
01:00It was a blooming obvious question.
01:01Yes, obvious.
01:02People are broke.
01:02Things are really, really expensive.
01:04It doesn't explain every piece of shoplifting.
01:06But I think it explains a lot of it, Chris.
01:08I think they do, because they can.
01:10It's opportunists a lot of the time.
01:11Yeah, exactly, opportunists.
01:12So you say the cost of living.
01:16If you want to stop shoplifting, it's quite basic.
01:19Just have plainclothes detectives, store detectives that are walking around,
01:23and nick you when you are…
01:24You do, but that's very time-consuming, Chris.
01:27Having worked in a store where that happens, you have to take…
01:31What is your name?
01:32My name's Ellie, right?
01:33Come on, let's fill it in.
01:34Where do you live?
01:34What do you do?
01:35And you have to spend forever.
01:36And you know what?
01:37If she has stolen below ÂŁ200, there's nothing they can do about it.
01:42Yes, exactly.
01:43Well, yeah, there is a social stigma for the majority of us.
01:47If you got nabbed in the process of nicking something.
01:49I know there's some people who have no shame.
01:52But my concern, as soon as I hear about this surveillance culture,
01:55we are surveilled.
01:56We all know that.
01:57We all know about a mobile phone.
01:58We all know about…
01:59But it's the digital ID.
02:02It's the onslaught of this sort of society…
02:07Big Brother.
02:08…where you are…
02:09Big Brother watch, exactly that.
02:10Talking about that, Santa and I are looking forward to watching that.
02:14Slept with my brother, yes.
02:15That's my concern, is that this is just an excuse to bring in the whole Big Brother watch.
02:21And before you know it, digital passports, digital medical records,
02:24digital currency, you're done.
02:26You sound as if you're a bit like me.
02:28I have very little sympathy.
02:30I have sympathy for people who run a corner shop and use agents, whatever, whatever.
02:34But department stores, big shops, I don't have the same sympathy for,
02:39because they have brought this about.
02:41I don't want to pack my own groceries.
02:43I don't want to be doing that.
02:44It's not my job.
02:44It's your job.
02:45I'm spending a lot of money with you.
02:46Why can't you do it for me?
02:48And then they complain that some people are sticking a cabbage up their shirt and…
02:52Yeah.
02:53If I wanted to get a job in that particular supermarket, I would.
02:56Like, why should I have to do all of that?
02:57And then they're just standing around gussing to each other, the shop assistants,
03:01or staring at you with their eyes in your head.
03:05All industries has gone this way.
03:07Banking is my big gripe.
03:09I used to love going to the bank, speaking to the teller,
03:13talking about what it is, get things done,
03:15and you knew your bank, your bank knew you, you knew your bank.
03:19Now…
03:19Have a sit down face to face.
03:20Yes, of course.
03:22You talk about youngsters being frightened to actually exchange and say hello, goodbye.
03:26And thank you.
03:27Have niceties and whatever.
03:29Yeah.