Misunderstanding Leads to Embarrassment for Business Owner

A woman in Greater Manchester faced a troubling situation after being wrongly accused of stealing toilet paper. The woman, who owns a makeup business, found herself escorted out of two Home Bargain stores without any clear explanation, due to a facial recognition system intended to combat theft.

The incident occurred on May 24, when the woman visited a Home Bargain on Regent Road, Salford. While shopping, the store manager approached her, asking her to leave, which left her feeling embarrassed and confused in front of others. Despite her protests, the manager instructed her to contact Facewatch, a company that supplies retail security with facial recognition technology.

Initially, her attempts to reach Facewatch and Home Bargains yielded no results. However, on June 4, while accompanying her 81-year-old mother to another Home Bargains in Fallowfield, Manchester, she was once more surrounded by staff and told to leave as soon as she entered. This time, she stood her ground, demanding clarification about her treatment.

After sending a persistent email to Facewatch and Home Bargains, she learned that earlier in May, there had been allegations of theft involving items worth approximately £10, including toilet rolls. Her image had been circulated in local stores, which resulted in a warning preventing her entry. Checking her bank account, she confirmed that she had actually paid for the products in question.

Eventually, Facewatch responded, confirming that a review found she hadn’t stolen anything. They acknowledged the distressing nature of her experience and noted that the retailer initiated additional staff training after the incident. However, the ordeal took a toll on her mental well-being, leading to anxiety and stress, and she felt physically unwell for a week.

Additionally, the civil liberties group Big Brother Watch reported receiving complaints from over 35 people who claimed they were wrongly added to the facial recognition watchlist. Madeleine Stone from the organization stated that these individuals were incorrectly identified as criminals and experienced significant disruptions in their lives.

In Horan’s instance, Facewatch indicated that the stores involved had been suspended from using their system following the incident. Home Bargains declined to comment on the matter.