{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-10/woolworths-facial-recognition-canberra-trial","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-10/woolworths-facial-recognition-canberra-trial.md","title":"Woolworths Weighs Facial Recognition Trial in Two Canberra Stores","headline":"Woolworths Considers Facial Recognition Trial at Woden and Gungahlin Stores to Protect Staff","description":"Woolworths is weighing a facial recognition trial at its Woden and Gungahlin stores, scanning customers against a watch list of repeat violent offenders.","section":"Product Launches","published_at":"2026-11-10T03:53:34+00:00","modified_at":"2026-11-10T03:53:34+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["Woolworths is considering a facial recognition trial at its Woden and Gungahlin stores in Canberra, with implementation possible by the end of the month.","Sarah Faorlin, Woolworths' head of violence prevention, said unacceptable incidents in its stores nationally have risen 460 per cent since 2020.","The SDA's Bernie Smith said the union supports the technology as long as it operates within strict guidelines."],"companies":[{"name":"Woolworths Group","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000ud9/woolworths-group","website":"https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au"}],"source":{"publisher":"ABC","title":"Two Canberra Woolworths stores considering trial of facial recognition technology to combat workplace violence","url":"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-10/two-woolworths-stores-canberra-trial-facial-recognition-tech/107367158"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Product Launches","Woolworths Group"],"body_markdown":"Woolworths is considering a facial recognition trial at two Canberra stores, Woden and Gungahlin, to identify repeat violent offenders, with implementation possible by the end of the month. [ABC](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-10/two-woolworths-stores-canberra-trial-facial-recognition-tech/107367158) reported the plan on November 10, 2026.\n\n## How the Woden and Gungahlin Trial Would Work\n\nSarah Faorlin, Woolworths' head of violence prevention, told 666 ABC Radio Canberra the two stores were chosen because of the \"high number of workplace protection orders in place\". Workplace protection orders are legal orders used to prevent and reduce workplace violence, and the ACT was the first jurisdiction to introduce them in 2016.\n\nUnder the proposal, every customer entering either store would have their face scanned to create a temporary biometric profile, which would be checked against a watch list of known repeat violent, abusive or threatening offenders, including people served with court-ordered WPOs in the ACT. Faorlin said a profile with no match would be deleted within one second, while a match could lead to police being called and staff being alerted to the person's presence in store.\n\n\"The aim is to use facial recognition technology to actively monitor for repeat violent and aggressive offenders who frequent our stores to protect team safety,\" Faorlin said. She said Woolworths has seen a 460 per cent increase in \"unacceptable incidents\" in its stores nationally since 2020.\n\nBernie Smith, NSW and ACT secretary of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, said he understood Woolworths would not \"call the police every time their machine pings\", but would do so where a workplace protection order had been breached. Smith said the union supports the technology \"as long as it's done within very strict guidelines as part of a social licensing of it\".\n\nFaorlin said Woolworths is consulting its store team on whether to proceed and would display signage outside the two supermarkets.\n\n## Woolworths Group's Store and Cost Plans\n\nAccording to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), [Woolworths Group](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000ud9/woolworths-group) announced in June 2026 plans to open 24 new stores creating approximately 2,500 roles across Australia and New Zealand while cutting support office costs, targeting $400 million in savings. The same records list group sales of $37.1 billion for H1 FY2026, up 3.4 per cent year-on-year, and Australian Food sales of $27.6 billion, up 3.6 per cent.\n\n## Earlier Woolworths Group Announcements\n\nWoolworths Group reported first-quarter sales of $19,353 million, up $870 million year-on-year, Yahoo reported on November 6, 2026. Insideretail reported on November 5, 2026 that Woolworths will open its Western Sydney distribution centre in the new year, a $900 million investment that will handle 3000 tonnes of produce daily and create 800 new jobs. Mirage News reported on October 21, 2026 that bubbleme Sorbet Balls returned to Woolworths in Lemon Lime and Passionfruit flavours, sold nationwide in 72g packs of 12 at RRP $7.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}