Matt Arnold was incorrectly identified of being a shoplifter at Sainsbury's East Dulwich superstore. Matt Arnold was incorrectly identified of being a shoplifter at Sainsbury's East Dulwich superstore. Sainsbury's store pauses AI scanning after false shoplifting accusation Supermarket chain says'human error', not its Facewatch technology, to blame for ejecting a customer Sainsbury's has paused the use of AI face scanning in one of its stores after a customer was wrongly identified as a shoplifter and ejected from the shop. "I was embarrassed, mortified even, and felt quite humiliated and powerless," Matt Arnold, 46, said of his ordeal. The comedy promoter was buying supplies in the store in East Dulwich, in south-east London, for a standup event at Dulwich Hamlet football club when, after scanning his items and a Nectar card, he was approached by two managers who told him he could not be served owing to an earlier incident.

Sainsbury's pauses AI cameras after shopper ousted Sainsbury's has suspended its use of live facial recognition technology at one of its London branches after a customer was wrongly challenged as a shoplifter and asked to leave. Matt Arnold, 46, was buying items at the East Dulwich store when he was stopped by management at a self-service till. Describing the experience as a terrifying glimpse of the future, he has warned that retail surveillance tech risks humiliating customers and creating a system where staff feel compelled to follow automated alerts without applying human logic. The supermarket said it had apologised to Arnold and claimed the mistake was caused by human error, but critics have called for the technology to be scrapped. The incident happened on 6 August as Arnold - a comedy promoter getting supplies for a stand-up event hosted at the next door Dulwich Hamlet Football Club - was waiting for a staff member to approve an alcohol purchase.

A 400-year-old document recording a Spanish Inquisition exorcism at the Antiquariat Forum BV and Inlibris stall at the 2026 Rare Book Fair. A 400-year-old document recording a Spanish Inquisition exorcism at the Antiquariat Forum BV and Inlibris stall at the 2026 Rare Book Fair. 'More than just objects': Australian booksellers raise alarm over'horrific' destruction of rare titles to feed AI "S ometimes books tell you more than the content," says Tim White, as he lines up carefully dust-jacketed books and pamphlets in plastic sleeves on temporary shelves in Melbourne University's Wilson Hall. For people like White, who runs independent bookshop Books for Cooks, the book as a physical object is just as important as what's inside it. "We're interested in where food and society connect So we just keep pushing the boundaries, looking for things that show unusual aspects of that, things that tell us a bit more about what it is to be human," he says.

Customers inside a B&M store, which is one of more than 100 businesses that will be using the technology. Customers inside a B&M store, which is one of more than 100 businesses that will be using the technology. Civil liberties groups say Facewatch system in stores such as Sainsbury's and B&M is'dangerous escalation' Fri 10 Jul 2026 06.19 EDTLast modified on Fri 10 Jul 2026 06.57 Facial recognition technology in shops will soon alert police in real time to the presence of serious offenders, with civil liberties groups warning of a "dangerous escalation" towards surveillance and criminalisation in the retail sector. Facewatch, a facial recognition system used by more than 100 businesses including Sainsbury's, B&M and Spar to monitor thieves, said it was launching a UK-first feature to "alert police instantly when the most serious offenders trigger a live facial recognition match".

Sainsbury's said: 'This was not an issue with the facial recognition technology in use but a case of the wrong person being approached in store.' Sainsbury's said: 'This was not an issue with the facial recognition technology in use but a case of the wrong person being approached in store.' Man misidentified by London supermarket using Facewatch system says: 'I shouldn't have to prove I am not a criminal' A man was ordered to leave a supermarket in London after staff misidentified him using controversial new facial recognition technology. Warren Rajah was told to abandon his shopping and leave the local store he has been using for a number of years after an "Orwellian" error in a Sainsbury's in Elephant and Castle, London. He said supermarket staff were unable to explain why he was being told to leave, and would only direct him to a QR code leading to the website of the firm Facewatch, which the retailer has hired to run facial recognition in some of its stores. He said when he contacted Facewatch, he was told to send in a picture of himself and a photograph of his passport before the firm confirmed it had no record of him on its database. "One of the reasons I was angry was because I shouldn't have to prove I am innocent," Rajah said.

Madeleine Stone, senior advocacy officer at privacy group BigBrotherWatch, said: "Sainsbury's decision to trial Orwellian facial recognition technology in its shops is deeply disproportionate and chilling. "Sainsbury's should abandon this trial and the government must urgently step in to prevent the unchecked spread of this invasive technology." Sainsbury's said incidents of theft, abuse and threatening behaviour "continue to rise" despite working with the police and government, adding that it is "affecting Sainsbury's teams across the UK daily". Mr Roberts, boss of the supermarket chain,added: "We have listened to the deep concerns our colleagues and customers have and they're right to expect us to act. "We understand that facial recognition technology can raise valid questions about data and privacy."

Electronic shelf labels, returns machines, robot bag packers and yet more self-service tills – just some of the many technologies that UK retailers are embracing as they try to solve the problem of rising labour costs. Investment in automation was a constant drumbeat amid the flurry of festive trading updates from big retailers in the past few weeks, as they face higher staffing bills from April after the rise in the national minimum wage and employers' national insurance contributions (NICs). The investments could improve productivity – a key government aim – in an industry long reliant on cheap labour. However, they will also replace entry-level jobs and reduce the number of roles in a sector that is the UK's biggest employer. When the British Retail Consortium asked leading retailers' finance directors how they would be responding to the impending increase in employers' NICs, almost a third said they would be using more automation, although this sat behind raising prices, cutting head office jobs and reducing working hours.

Forget fish and chips or sausage, mash, and gravy - when it comes to British lunches, it's the meal deal that rules supreme. According to the latest figures, 'meal deal mania' is at a record high in the UK, with over of a third of Britons indulging in the offer at least once a week. But with thousands of possible combinations of mains, sides, and drinks available, one key question remains – what is the ultimate British meal deal? To answer this burning question, MailOnline turned to AI chatbot, ChatGPT, which came up with a list of five top combinations. So, do you agree with its meal deal selection?

From the Big Four chains like Tesco and Sainsbury's to budget stores like Aldi, supermarkets have raced to embrace high-tech solutions in recent years. But going against the trend is high-end northern chain Booths, much to the delight of many customers. This week, the business announced it's ditching self-checkouts and putting staff back behind the tills so shoppers can'talk to people' again. Although the majority of UK supermarkets are rolling out new tech with rampant enthusiasm, here are the potential signs this year that the more traditional shopping experience may be returning. To the delight of the traditional shopper, high-end northern chain Booths has just announced it's ditching self-checkouts and putting staff back behind the tills so customers can'talk to people' again Many shoppers were glad to hear the news with one calling it'wonderful' that they staff'embracing the human touch' Booths – which has 27 stores in the North across Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Cheshire – has been dubbed the northern Waitrose due to its focus on quality.

Whether it's turning off lights when not using them or bringing a reusable water bottle instead of buying a plastic one, many of us try to take measures to reduce our carbon footprint. Now, Sainsbury's has opened a new store that even makes your weekly food shop more eco-friendly. The'ground-breaking' store in Hook, Hampshire, is Sainsbury's most energy-efficient supermarket yet. It has several impressive features, including doors on chilled cabinets, 700 solar panels on the roof and even floor sensors that adjust the LED lights in response to natural light. 'This is a really proud moment for Sainsbury's as we launch a brilliant new supermarket that puts our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment into clear focus,' said Ryan Cox, Sainsbury's Hook Store Manager.