Bunnings Warehouse will begin trialling facial recognition technology (FRT) in its stores across New Zealand next month, starting with two locations in Hamilton, in an effort to deter escalating retail crime. The move, announced today, aims to address a growing problem of high-value theft and threatening behaviour directed towards staff and customers, according to Bunnings New Zealand General Manager Melissa Haines.
Haines stated the company’s “number one priority is keeping team and customers safe,” and believes FRT “can play an important role in helping to protect people from violence, abuse and intimidation” perpetrated by repeat offenders. She emphasized the increasing scale of retail crime in New Zealand, noting it “shows no signs of stopping.”
The rollout will be phased, with the Hamilton stores serving as a testing ground for the technology and its associated safeguards. Bunnings is collaborating with New Zealand Police and Retail NZ throughout the process, Haines confirmed. “We’ve undertaken a thorough assessment process, with privacy, safety and community expectations at the forefront, and we are taking a phased approach to get this right,” she said.
The FRT system is designed to provide a proactive alert when a known offender, flagged in a database, enters a store, allowing staff to take preventative action. Haines clarified that the technology is intended to supplement existing security measures, including security guards, staff training, body-worn cameras, and established incident response protocols.
The implementation follows a similar trial conducted last year by three supermarkets in Christchurch, also citing concerns about repeat offenders. Foodstuffs South Island, the operator of those supermarkets, stipulated that the technology would not be used on individuals under the age of 18, despite the fact that younger people comprised over half of those identified as problematic shoppers.
A 2024 study indicated that the use of FRT in supermarkets resulted in a 16 percent reduction in serious harm incidents. However, the Privacy Commissioner raised significant privacy concerns regarding the use of the technology in retail settings in 2025, acknowledging its potential safety benefits alongside those concerns.
Haines stressed that the technology will be used solely for safety purposes. “The feedback that we’ve had from over nine out of 10 people is that they really support the use of this technology when it provides an improvement in safety outcomes,” she stated. She explained that images of individuals not identified as offenders will be immediately and permanently deleted, with only those matching known offenders retained for a brief period.
Bunnings plans to prominently display signage at store entrances informing customers about the use of FRT. Haines acknowledged that some customers may choose not to enter stores utilizing the technology, stating, “If people are not comfortable entering the store when it does use this technology then that will be their choice… It would be sad if people do have that perspective, but they’re obviously entitled to do that. For us, we need to create sure that we’re looking after our team.”
New Zealand Police have been utilizing facial recognition technology for several years, though details of their implementation remain undisclosed.
