Jumbo supermarket chain will use new security cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor customer behaviour. This way, you want to reduce the 100 million worth of groceries that are stolen every year. If you are acting suspiciously, you may be talked to. But what actually constitutes suspicious behavior?
Therefore, the Jumbo supermarket chain will implement measures to prevent theft. At the beginning of this year, it was announced that more than 100 million euros are stolen every year. Jumbo will use artificial intelligence to address this.
Robert Ridstra, of software company Axians Holland, who is familiar with the new camera system, recognizes that people have their doubts. “You don't get recognized right away if you've received a shopping list from someone else and you stay,” he explains. “Or when you grab something and put it back quickly.” But what shouldn't you do at the supermarket?
1. Hide groceries
According to Riedstra, a customer becomes suspicious if they hide a product under your clothes. “We sometimes see that someone puts something down their pants, under a skirt or dress, or in the inside pocket of a jacket. In many cases, the system then sends a message to the supermarket manager. This also happens when people hide groceries in a stroller.” Or In a backpack or handbag. These are places where you wouldn't normally store your groceries,” Riedstra explains.
2. Eat products
It seems logical, but eating produce in the store is considered suspicious behavior. “There was a report about a woman who actually opened a bottle of water, drank some of it and then put it in the cart. Then a report was actually made. She eventually paid for the bottle, but in principle you only drink once you've paid for it.”
3. Pick up and return
The system is also more likely to view people with doubts as suspicious. According to Rydstra, these are the people who often pick up products and put them back in the booth or the people who have two hands on the shelf. “A lot of times, you can only hold products with one hand. If someone empties an entire shelf with both hands, that's suspicious.”
However, people should not be afraid of being looked at strangely. “Reporting does not mean that you will be contacted immediately,” Riedstra emphasizes. “Employees always decide whether to do something with it.”
No personal data is checked. “Height, weight, male or female, and skin color don't count for the system,” says Riedstra. “Otherwise we will not be allowed to install the government system. The images are kept for a maximum of 30 days. If a report is submitted, evidence will be needed.”
Self-checkout is not covered by the camera system. “It's still very complicated. You see that people often accidentally forget something or miss something twice. There's no solution to this problem yet,” says Riedstra.
Privacy organization Bits of Freedom believes such systems lead to discrimination. The Dutch Data Protection Authority has not yet considered this matter.
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