Lidl has become the second retailer in the UK to introduce a new anti-theft software that has been dubbed ‘supermarket VAR’.
In a bid to reduce shoplifting, the store has installed overhead cameras at its self-checkouts, to identify when a customer has failed to scan an item properly.
When it picks up on a potential theft, it replays a life-action recording of the item not scanning before the shopper can pay.
It follows a similar move by Tesco in May, which was widely mocked on social media after the scheme was compared to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology used in football matches.
Sainsbury’s has also rolled out AI recognition in some of its stores in order to boost security measures, while Lidl has introduced the cameras in two of their London stores.
It comes as shoplifting offences reach a record high with figures from the Office for National Statistics showing that incidents recorded by police in England and Wales rose 20 per cent to 515,971 in 2024.
The figure is the highest since current police recording practices began in the year to March 2003, with the ONS stating there had been a “sharp rise” since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite this, the new technology was widely criticised in May, with one commentator voicing fears that it could pave the path for more surveillance measures: “What’s next? Drones to follow.... you about the store?”.
Another joked "VAR Decision – Tuna Disallowed” in a video that has since gained more than 3.5 million views.
In an interview with the BBC, one shopper said: "Yes, you have cameras following you everywhere in the store, but this is simply too invasive.
"If stores are so paranoid about shoppers stealing goods, then they should go back to staffed tills instead of wasting money on this invasive technology."
Reacting to the high shoplifting figures, Tom Ironside from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said retail crime is continuing to “spiral out of control” with shop theft costing retailers more than £2.2 billion a year.
The director of business and regulation at the BRC said: “While retailers are spending £1.8 billion on anti-crime measures, thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive, resulting in an increase in violence and abuse against staff.
“It is vital we see more police resource allocated to tackle this epidemic of crime.”
