Foodstuffs Adds Facial Recognition at Fourth Christchurch Store

Foodstuffs, a major New Zealand grocery retailer, is expanding its use of facial recognition technology. The technology is being installed at its fourth store in the city of Christchurch. The rollout follows earlier deployments at three other locations. The system is intended to streamline checkout and personalize the shopping experience. Store managers say the feature will be optional for customers. Privacy advocates have raised questions about data handling. Foodstuffs has stated it will comply with local privacy regulations. The implementation is part of a broader digital transformation effort by the chain.