John Lewis staff have accused the firm of “spying” on them by fitting mystery shoppers with hidden body cameras.
The retailer claims it is being done to improve customer service.
The group says mystery shoppers have been using “discreet body cameras” to record interactions with staff. It has been trialled at five John Lewis and four Waitrose stores.
According to documents seen by the Mirror, the test is “designed to find out if video replays can improve customer service”.
It adds only “selected managers” and those staff – known as Partners – who are filmed will see the footage.
But some workers are furious. Writing in the firm’s Gazette magazine, one said, “many Partners are threatening legal action”. Adding: “Filming is a gross invasion of privacy.”
Another said it, “could be perceived as spying/ Big Brother ”. One worker told the Mirror: “It has really upset a lot of people.”
John Lewis admitted the trial uses “a filmed form of mystery shopping”. But it said staff “will be made aware this is happening in their shop before it takes place”.
