You might not know it, but your face could already be in a database the moment you walk into your neighbourhood shop.
A growing number of retailers across Scotland are using facial recognition technology to spot repeat offenders and deter theft. While some store owners call it a game-changer, privacy campaigners see something darker: a surveillance state creeping in through the back door.
Theft Is Rising — and Shops Say They’re On Their Own
Shoplifting across Scotland is up. A 16% year-on-year increase, according to the latest crime figures, has retailers scrambling for solutions. Many complain that police can’t — or won’t — respond to minor offences like stolen sweets or low-value alcohol.
For Nathalie Fullarton, who runs a convenience store in Partick, Glasgow, the breaking point came when theft became constant.
“They were just helping themselves and walking out the door,” she said. “Chocolate bars, sweets, the kind of stuff police didn’t have the time for.”
Her solution? Facewatch, a private facial recognition system now used in over 400 UK shops. She says it’s slashed shoplifting losses — by more than £8,000, to be precise.
One-line takeaway: when calls to 101 don’t work, retailers are turning to machines that remember your face.
How It Works: Scan, Match, Alert
Facewatch isn’t some futuristic AI myth — it’s already operational. Cameras scan every face entering a store. If the system spots a face that matches someone on its “watchlist” — usually for theft or abuse — it sends an instant alert to staff.
Here’s how it works in simple terms:
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A face is captured on CCTV
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It’s matched against a cloud-based list of known suspects
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If there’s a match, the store owner gets a mobile alert
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Staff decide whether to monitor, approach, or call for help
Fullarton logs each incident using a mobile app. The data — video clips and timestamps — are verified by a team of former police and security officers working behind the scenes. They confirm identities, check repeat patterns, and approve additions to the watchlist.
In theory, it’s precise and proportionate. In practice, critics say, it’s a legal and ethical grey zone.
Civil Liberties Groups Are Sounding the Alarm
Campaigners have long warned that facial recognition software could lead to a “Big Brother” surveillance culture, especially if used without oversight.
“This isn’t just about shoplifters,” said a spokesperson from Liberty, a UK civil liberties organisation. “It’s about mass surveillance in public spaces, often without consent, and with real risks of racial profiling.”
Here are some of the core concerns:
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Lack of transparency: Most shoppers have no idea they’re being scanned
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Consent issues: You can’t meaningfully opt out unless you avoid the shop entirely
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Bias in algorithms: Studies have shown facial recognition is less accurate for non-white individuals
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Creeping normalisation: What starts in shops could end up on public transport, schools, or parks
One sentence here: it’s not hard to see how surveillance for safety could slide into surveillance for control.
Police Scotland Eyes Wider Use — But Treads Carefully
While retailers are moving fast, Police Scotland is moving cautiously. Officials confirm they’re considering facial recognition tools for broader use — but haven’t committed yet.
That could soon change.
The Metropolitan Police in London has already integrated live facial recognition in public spaces. And with mounting pressure to tackle retail crime and knife violence, Scottish authorities are watching closely.
Still, the Scottish Police Authority has urged restraint, citing “public trust risks” and unresolved legal questions.
Scotland’s Information Commissioner has also said any use of biometric tech must meet strict standards for necessity, proportionality, and fairness.
So for now, the most widespread use isn’t by the state — it’s by private businesses, with almost no public debate.
Facewatch Says It’s Safe, Legal, and Effective
The company behind the tech insists it plays by the rules. Facewatch says it complies fully with UK GDPR and is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Their defence is straightforward:
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It’s not mass surveillance: They only scan for known offenders
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They store minimal data: Faces are anonymised unless there’s a match
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It helps vulnerable staff: Reducing verbal abuse and physical threats
Facewatch also argues it enables a preventative approach, not just reactionary. By flagging offenders early, it gives staff a chance to de-escalate before anything happens.
“It’s not about watching everyone,” said a Facewatch spokesperson. “It’s about protecting workers.”
Still, campaigners remain unconvinced. “That argument was used for CCTV, too,” said one privacy researcher. “Now it’s everywhere — and nobody asked the public first.”
The Future: Regulation, or Retrofitting Trust?
Right now, there’s no specific Scottish or UK law governing facial recognition in retail settings. It’s all tied up in existing data protection law — and that’s stretching under the weight of new tech.
Experts say we need a new legal framework, not just for how facial data is captured and stored, but for who gets to use it — and when.
Until then, the responsibility sits with shop owners. Some, like Fullarton, say they’re simply trying to stay in business.
“We’re not a high-tech operation,” she said. “We’re just trying to stop people robbing us.”
For shoppers, the choice is less clear: trust the system to do its job fairly — or start wondering what happens to your face after you leave with a bottle of milk.
