Tesco's new 'VAR-style' tech sparks backlash at self-checkouts
In certain British Tesco stores, new technology has been introduced, quickly drawing comparisons to the VAR system familiar from soccer. Cameras installed above self-checkout counters are designed to help detect theft attempts by displaying a video "replay" to the customer when a product isn't scanned correctly. This move has left many outraged.
The BBC explains that with this new system, a message sometimes appears on the screen: "The last item wasn’t scanned properly. Remove it from the bagging area and try again." A recording demonstrating the system's operation appeared on BriBantz's Instagram profile and has been viewed nearly 4 million times.
In theory, the innovation aims to streamline shopping, but in practice, many customers feel cornered.
VAR Decision – Tuna Disallowed - joked one user on Instagram. - Clearly off side - laughed another.
This new technology is a response to the increasing rate of shoplifting in the United Kingdom. According to the Office for National Statistics, in 2024, England and Wales recorded as many as 516,971 such crimes, which is 20% more than the previous year.
The British Retail Consortium estimates that in the 12 months up to September 2024, there were 20.4 million thefts in stores, costing businesses 2 billion pounds (2.7 billion dollars).
"Surveillance technologies"
Nevertheless, Tesco is not alone—the Sainsbury’s chain has introduced similar systems. Some customers complain, however, that the technology is too invasive and makes honest customers feel they are being treated like suspects.
Yes, you have cameras following you everywhere in the store, but this is simply too invasive. If stores are so paranoid about shoppers stealing goods, then they should go back to staffed tills instead of wasting money on this invasive technology - Heather, a 30-year-old customer from Nottingham, exclaimed online.
Are there even any rules informing customers before they enter? How on earth can the average person understand the extent of the tracking? - asserted John O'Reilly, a 28-year-old video game developer from Woolwich.
