Grocery Chain Wegmans Defends Collection of Biometric Data in Some Stores

The New York-based chain said facial recognition technology is deployed in only a small number of higher-risk stores and is not used to track ordinary shoppers.
Grocery Chain Wegmans Defends Collection of Biometric Data in Some Stores
A sign is attached to the outside of a Wegmans supermarket in Westwood, Mass., on Dec. 20, 2022. Steven Senne/AP Photo
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
|Updated:
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Wegmans Food Markets said on Jan. 7 that it uses facial recognition technology in a limited number of higher-risk stores to deter misconduct, responding to growing scrutiny from the public and demands from New York lawmakers for greater transparency about biometric surveillance in grocery stores.

The Rochester, New York-based grocery chain said in a statement that the facial recognition technology is deployed only in “a small fraction” of its locations that have higher security risks and is used only to identify individuals previously flagged for misconduct, not to track or profile ordinary shoppers.
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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