Tesco makes major change at self-service checkouts with var-style replays

TESCO HAS INSTALLED CAMERAS IN SOME OF ITS STORES WHICH WATCHES CUSTOMERS SCAN AND PACK THEIR ITEMS AT SELF-SERVICE CHECKOUTS. IF AN ITEM IS NOT SCANNED BEFORE BEING BAGGED, THE SYSTEM USES

AI TO DETECT THIS AND TELLS THE CUSTOMER TO RE-SCAN THE ITEM 12:39, 27 May 2025 Tesco has introduced a significant update to its supermarkets by becoming the latest shop brand to implement

VAR-like instant replays at its self-service checkouts. Several Tesco stores have now been equipped with cameras positioned above the self-checkout machines, designed to capture footage of

customers as they scan and bag their goods. Utilising artificial intelligence, the system is tuned to identify possible instances where items might not be scanned correctly. Shoppers may

encounter a video replay if an item ends up in the bagging area unscanned, accompanied by a prompt stating: "The last item wasn't scanned properly. Remove it from the bagging area

and try again." The precise date of the camera installations across Tesco branches remains unspecified. The company has yet to disclose how many of its stores in the UK are subject to

this new security protocol, or whether the initiative will extend throughout its full network of supermarkets. One industry insider has purportedly mentioned to the Sun the early impressions

of the technology's impact, highlighting its potential in mitigating theft. The insider remarked: "This is different to a live camera because many shoplifters assume nobody is

watching.", reports the Mirror. They further commented, noting that should someone attempt to pocket items without payment, the replay confronts them with a stark choice: "If your

attempted theft has been clipped up and replayed to you seconds later, you know you might only have two options." WE HAVE A DEDICATED NEWSLETTER FOR CHRONICLELIVE’S MONEY-SAVING AND

COST OF LIVING STORIES. IT’S FREE AND YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE IT HERE. IT WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST MONEY NEWS AND BUDGETING TIPS AS WELL AS STORIES ON THE COST OF

LIVING CRISIS IN OUR REGION. They added, "One is to pay, and the other is to get caught. A great deal of shoplifters simply will keep going, whatever the stores do. But it will deter

some, and much like Tesco's slogan, every little helps." A Tesco spokesperson commented: "We are always looking at technology to make life easier for our customers. We have

recently installed a new system at some stores which helps customers using self-service checkouts identify if an item has not been scanned properly, making the checkout process quicker and

easier." Earlier in the month, it emerged that Sainsbury's had also implemented a comparable security tactic within several of its UK branches. Similar to Tesco's approach, a

camera is poised above the checkout and packing area; should there be an occurrence of an unscanned item being bagged, the customer is immediately shown the footage along with a message

saying: "Looks like that last item didn't scan. Please check you scanned it correctly before continuing." In response to increasing prices throughout 2022, retailers across

the nation have introduced a range of preventative measures aimed at tackling shoplifting. These include employing security tags, securing goods in protective cases, staging empty packaging

on shelves, rationing display items, and insisting on the scanning of receipts before exiting the premises. The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), made public in

October last year, indicate a 29% uptick in police-recorded shoplifting offences for the year ending in June 2024, marking a 20-year peak. In the previous year, the police registered 516,971

shoplifting incidents – a significant jump from the 429,873 cases reported in 2023. British Retail Consortium's Tom Ironside has pointed out this surge in crime is now annually costing

businesses approximately £2 billion. In February this year, Tesco unveiled a dedicated security hub located at its distribution centre in Daventry, Northants, tasked with the

round-the-clock surveillance of theft-related incidents throughout its array of stores. Article continues below Emma Sparrock, head of security, commented: "Our commitment to ensuring

the safety and security of our colleagues and customers has never been stronger. This move is a symbol of our team's growth, and we're ready to face what lies ahead with a renewed

sense of purpose and determination."