Grocery Outlet Expands Facial Recognition At Local Stores: Report

CONCORD, CA — Two Contra Costa County Grocery Outlet stores are using facial-recognition technology to identify suspected repeat shoplifters before they enter the stores, according to reports.

The Concord and Pleasant Hill locations are among six Bay Area Grocery Outlet stores confirmed to be using SAFR Guard software.

The technology does not automatically notify law enforcement or prevent anyone from entering a store.

SAFR Guard collect facial images from shoppers entering participating stores and compares them against a database of people identified by retailers as being suspected of theft, violence, or other activities.

The watch list is built from surveillance footage and incident reports submitted by participating retailers. When the software detects a match, it sends an alert to store employees that a person on the watch list has entered the store.

Facial-recognition systems have become increasingly common in retail as businesses look for ways to reduce theft, but the technology has also drawn criticism from individuals and groups who question how biometric information is collected, stored, and shared — or oppose it outright.

The Federal Trade Commission stopped Rite Aid from using facial-recognition technology, alleging the company failed to protect to establish adequate safeguards, resulting in inaccurate identifications and harm to customers at hundreds of stores.

A 2024 lawsuit filed by an Illinois woman alleges Target violated state biometric privacy law by collecting customers' facial data without prior notice or written consent.

Grocery Outlet has not announced plans to expand the technology beyond the participating stores.