Mercadona installs facial recognition system to catch abusive shoppers

MERCADONA has launched a new facial recognition system to block entrance to anyone convicted of harming its workers.

Around 40 shops in the Valencian Community, Mallorca, and Zaragoza, have already been equipped with the new technology, which produces an instant result in 0.3 seconds.

Warning signs have been placed in store entrances and the company says that ‘no other type of information is stored’.

The supermarket said the system only detects a person who has been sentenced over a store-based incident or been given a restraining order relating to one of its workers.

“Facial recognition is being used to improve the safety of our customers and staff,” Mercadona said in a statement.

Police and courts will be told if anybody is trying to ignore penalties and will see extra measures imposed on them.

The company has emphasised that all data protection laws will be strictly followed.