Tesco’s new security scanners have been branded “prison-like” by shoppers on social media.
The supermarket, which has been stepping up its crackdown on shoplifting since March, has introduced the technology in several branches for customers using its Scan As You Shop (SAYS) system.
One shopper described her experience at the chain’s Slough store, where the scanners have recently been deployed.
@ana_lazaruss No place does Slough quite like Slough
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Social media users have compared the new tech to “an airport”, with one saying: “What an awful experience. Shopping is supposed to be relaxing.”
“Is that an airport or Tesco”, another user on TikTok asked.
Others have suggested the supermarket has turned grocery shopping into a “prison” experience and have said the supermarket is treating customers like “criminals”.
“The UK is slowly turning into one big corporate prison system,” said one user.
However, some users were in support of the supermarket’s SAYS technology trial.
“Why are people so pressed about this? If you don’t steal you’re fine?” said one and another compared the measure to scanners at Amazon Fresh.
The SAYS system allows shoppers to scan items as they shop for them and then pay without having to go to a till or self-serve checkout.
As it stands, some customers may be randomly stopped for a manual check by staff. However, with the new technology trial, baskets will be weighed to ensure no items have been missed off the final receipt.
In a statement to The Standard, Tesco said: “We’re running a trial in a very small number of stores to help our Scan as You Shop customers make sure they haven’t missed any items when scanning.
“This will reduce the number of manual checks by colleagues, reduce queuing times, and streamline the checkout experience for customers.”
New statistics have shown that shoplifting has exploded in London since the Covid pandemic. In the rest of England, shoplifting incidents have increased by 15 per cent in the last year.
Last month, Tesco enjoyed its largest monthly share gain of the UK grocery market since December 2024 as its hold of the market increased by 0.8 percentage points to 28.4%, driven by sales growth of 7.4% compared to last year.
The supermarket most recently rolled out in-store avocado scanners to read the ripeness of fruit. Invented by Dutch firm One Third Avocado Scanner, the new scanner measured the ripeness of an avocado in seconds.
The scanner is being trialled in five Tesco stores around the UK.
