Hardware retailer Bunnings will begin using facial recognition technology in two Hamilton stores from next month, with a nationwide rollout to follow.
The company said the system was designed to help protect staff and customers from a rising number of threatening incidents by repeat offenders.
The stores — Te Rapa and Hamilton South — will start using the technology from mid-April, with the system to be eventually implemented in all stores nationwide.
The company said the rollout was designed after considering the Office of the Privacy Commissioner's findings from a trial conducted by Foodstuffs North Island.
Consultations with customers, team members, the community, and a Māori sovereignty expert had been part of the approach, as well as the implementation of tikanga Māori principles, Bunnings said.
The technology was intended to provide a proactive warning when a serious repeat offender entered the store.
Bunnings NZ general manager Melissa Haines said the number one priority was keeping staff and customers safe.
"We believe that FRT can play an important role in helping to protect people from violence, abuse and intimidation in our stores by repeat offenders."
Repeat offenders accounted for 34% of all threatening incidents, up from 26% in 2022, she said.
"Proceeding with FRT in NZ was not a quick decision. 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."
Foodstuffs report
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) investigated Foodstuffs North Island's trial of facial recognition technology, which operated in 25 supermarkets between February and September 2024.
The inquiry, released on June 4, 2025, found the trial complied with the Privacy Act, but only because strong privacy safeguards were in place.
Although the system collected the faces of every shopper entering the store, the OPC said the high level of privacy intrusion was reduced to an acceptable level because of measures such as rapid deletion.
The trial scanned 225,972,004 faces, with 99.999% deleted within one minute, and generated 1742 alerts, of which 1208 were confirmed matches.
Before using facial recognition technology, the Privacy Commissioner said organisations must justify its necessity, ensure the problem is serious, and check whether less intrusive alternatives would work.
They must identify and manage privacy risks, delete non‑matching images immediately, and avoid adding children or vulnerable people to watchlists.
They must also set up strict watchlist rules, ensure high accuracy, use human verification, provide clear customer signage, and train staff on how to intervene safely and fairly. Systems must be secure, access tightly restricted, and any breaches reported promptly.
Finally, organisations must handle complaints, allow customers to access or correct their information, and regularly review whether FRT is still justified or remove it if it no longer is.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has been approached for comment on Bunnings' use of the technology.
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