'VAR cameras' in new AI-powered Tesco self checkout technology spark football jokes - and privacy fears

• Tesco has introduced AI-powered cameras at some self-checkouts to catch missed scans
• The system shows instant video replays, drawing comparisons to football’s VAR
• Some shoppers find it amusing, while others feel it’s invasive and unfair
• The move aims to reduce rising shoplifting amid a UK theft surge in 2024
• Tesco staff welcome the tech as it helps monitor theft while easing checkout pressure

Tesco has rolled out AI-powered cameras at some self-service checkouts to catch shoppers who forget (or try to avoid) scanning items.

The technology comes complete with instant video replays of the ‘offense,’ and its uncanny resemblance to football’s infamous Video Assistant Referee (VAR) hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Social media users have been quick to mock the supermarket’s new “VAR” tech, with videos of the checkouts racking up millions of views.

The system works by spotting when an item hasn’t scanned properly, then flashing a live-action replay on the screen with a polite message: “The last item wasn’t scanned properly. Remove from bagging area and try again.”

Not everyone is impressed. While some customers find the tech amusing, others worry it’s a slippery slope toward Big Brother-style surveillance.

One user on Bluesky wondered, “What’s next? Drones following you around the aisles?” Another Facebook commenter vowed never to use Tesco’s self-checkouts again.

Tesco says it hopes this will speed up the checkout experience and cut down on theft — a major issue as shoplifting in the UK soared to record levels in 2024.

According to the Office for National Statistics, shoplifting offences recorded by police jumped 20% last year to over half a million incidents in England and Wales.

Retailer reports paint an even grimmer picture: the British Retail Consortium estimates more than 20 million thefts cost UK shops £2 billion in the year leading up to September 2024.

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Tesco staff seem to welcome their new AI helpers. One anonymous worker told the BBC they often feel like “a security guard” juggling multiple checkouts alone — and that shoplifting attempts are common.

But customer Heather, 30, from Nottingham, says the new technology feels intrusive and unfairly penalises honest customers who use self-scan properly.

"Yes, you have cameras following you everywhere in the store, but this is simply too invasive," she told the BBC. “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."

The AI rollout follows similar moves by rivals like Sainsbury’s, which recently installed AI recognition tech on their own self-service lanes.

Retailers are clearly stepping up efforts to combat theft, which has pushed some to take drastic measures: Greggs has started moving self-serve food behind counters at high-theft locations, and supermarkets have tagged expensive items or swapped coffee for empty, display jars.

Tesco previously experimented with giant trolley scales to catch thieves at its Trinity Square Extra store in Gateshead — a move that also divided shoppers, with one Reddit user quipping, “Am I at border control or Tesco?”

In the battle against shoplifting, it seems supermarkets are not just watching what you buy — they’re watching how you buy it, too.

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