Body Worn Cameras for Supermarket Staff

Supermarket chain Tesco has announced the decision to issue staff with body cameras in response to escalating assaults on staff. In this post we look at the adoption of body worn cameras for retail personnel.

The retail workers union Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) has called for stronger British legislation to make attacks on shop workers a specific offence. Physical attacks on shop workers have escalated by a third in just one year, prompting calls for improvements to staff security along with tighter legislation.

Why are Assaults on Shop Workers Increasing?

While stronger legislation and tougher sentences would be welcomed it’s recognised that these changes will not solve the problem. To effectively address the issue the underlying causes must be identified and dealt with.

Research conducted in 2022 concluded that the single most common trigger for violence and abuse toward workers in retail environments was shoplifting incidents. And cases of shoplifting increased by 75% just last year.

Supermarkets are security tagging items commonly targeted by shoplifters which now include meat, butter, cheese and baby milk. Previously, supermarkets were used to expensive, high-value items being stolen to be sold on so these were the only security tagged products on the supermarket shelves.

But shoplifting has changed and desperate customers are now attempting to steal everyday grocery items. This has prompted many supermarkets to affix security tags to products such as baby formula. In some stores certain items have been entirely removed from the shelves and replaced by cards presenting the item’s name along with advisory messages telling customers the products are now retained in secure areas and must be retrieved by a member of staff.

It should be noted that very few of those who are desperate enough to steal to feed their babies and families will resort to assaulting shop workers. But the cost of living crisis and rising poverty are recognised as factors driving otherwise law-abiding people to resort to shoplifting. And the escalation in shoplifting incidents has resulted in many more confrontations between shopworkers and shoplifters.

Incidents of violence and abuse toward shop workers is now double what it was before the COVID pandemic. The huge disparity between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ was starkly apparent during the pandemic when the sacrifices imposed on the wider public were not being shared or respected by those making the rules. The casual abuse of shop workers is considered by many to be related to diminishing respect for society and community, triggered by the pandemic experience.

Are Body Worn Cameras Effective?

Body worn cameras (BWCs) are not new. These devices were first worn by UK police officers way back in 2005. They are now widely used by council officials, traffic and parking wardens, fire services, hospital security operatives, British transport police, train guards and nightclub door security staff. The use of body worn cameras is also being currently trialled by football referees and prison staff.

Tesco supermarket chain claim to have invested £44 million over four years on security improvements at their stores. The enhancements include door access control systems, protection screens for staff, digital radios and cameras. The retail workers union Usdaw has stated there is no doubt that body worn cameras do have a deterrent effect and they acknowledge the need for both staff training and raising public awareness of body worn cameras and why they are necessary.

One provider of body camera solutions for retail has reported how the deployment of their system has resulted in a 54% reduction in violence and aggressive incidents, when compared with the same time period in the previous year. They note how evidence collected by bodycams has resulted in 30% more successful prosecutions. And importantly, 78% of shop staff have acknowledged how dealing with less risk at work has had a positive impact on their wellbeing. And 100% of staff felt safer with 95% wanting to continue using body worn cameras after the trial period.

Body worn cameras used by security professionals are appreciated as an enhancement to the safety of the wearer. They facilitate the collection of valuable evidence and support accountability. High quality, reliable video and audio data collected by body worn cameras is increasingly used as evidence in court. The recordings derived from body worn cameras are notably different from CCTV or mobile phone footage. Body worn cameras record events at close range and these recordings often clearly and intimately represent the experience of the camera wearer and those recorded.

Benefits of Body Worn Cameras

UK Fire and Rescue service use body worn cameras along with digital evidence management software to capture and manage detailed evidence from rescue missions and and other stressful situations. The safety of the public and their staff is essential in these circumstances and the use of ruggedised, high performance body worn cameras assists fire crews in protecting people and property by recording and retaining valuable, examinable evidence.

The Fire service reviews footage collected from large or sensitive incidents to provide valuable tactical insight and debriefing. Video is also valuable in supporting firefighter training and fire investigations.

NHS ambulance crews have been using body cameras since 2021 when they were rolled out in response to 3,569 ambulance crew having been assaulted in the previous year. Successful trials were initially conducted in London and the North East before deployment to the 10 ambulance trusts across England. A three year evaluation of body worn cameras across the ambulance service is currently underway with a final report due to be published in the summer of 2024.

Body worn cameras are increasingly used by people who may encounter aggression or violence, possibly in their work. Here are some of the key benefits attributed to body worn cameras.

Preventing Violence

Studies have demonstrated how body worn cameras used by law enforcement and security professionals significantly reduced levels of violence and aggression. These cameras often act as a deterrent, de-escalating violence and aggression. Cameras with front facing screens raise awareness that a camera is in operation which serves to calm people down. A study conducted in California recorded a 50% reduction in the use of force in incidents involving body cameras.

Increased Transparency & Accountability

When people know their behaviour is being recorded they tend to be more self aware. The use of body worn cameras in the police service has clearly improved accountability and professionalism in the force. And people are aware the recorded footage can be examined to support transparency and ensure accountability. The same benefits are likely to be seen in other sectors as the technology is more widely adopted.

Accurate and Reliable Evidence

High quality video recordings with audio make it clear to see who was present, what happened and when. While eye witness accounts are valuable their evidence is stronger when backed up by unbiased video.

Fewer Complaints Against Security Professionals

One of the primary benefits of body cameras experienced by police services and security professionals has been a significant reduction in complaints. In some services the number of complaints against officers fell by 90% when bodycams were adopted. People tend to behave far better when they know they are being recorded.

How Body Worn Cameras Work

Body worn cameras (BWCs) are compact, portable video recording devices, typically worn on a user’s uniform or clothing. They are capable of recording both video and audio, clearly showing what the wearer is experiencing or witnessing.

The cameras are lightweight and able to record high quality video and audio via their built-in lenses and microphones. Cameras can include night vision capabilities, Wifi or bluetooth connectivity and some have built-in GPS positioning. 

Some cameras have front-facing video screens which show people what`s being recorded when the camera is turned on. This feature has a proven calming and deterrent effect and demonstrates openness and transparency.

In most cases bodycams are not continuously switched on and recording all of the time. Police officers, for example, will only turn on their cameras when they need to and will advise those involved that recording is taking place. Most body worn cameras have an indicator light that’s illuminated when recording.

Once activated a BWC will continue to record both audio and video until the operator pauses or stops recording. Recorded data is stored internally or on removable memory cards. Some BWC models offer cloud connectivity, enabling recordings to be uploaded to cloud storage or even directly recorded to the cloud.

BWCs also add metadata to recordings including the date and time of the recording along with GPS location information, if this is available. The cameras are battery powered with battery life dependent on the camera model.

Are Body Worn Cameras Regulated?

While there are no specific UK regulations governing the use of security body cameras its important to be aware of laws regarding the recorded footage and data retention.

UK law enforcement agencies, including the police, must adhere to specific regulations governing their use of body cameras. They must comply with the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice along with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. An important aspect of these regulations is the maintenance of evidential integrity along with respecting privacy and ensuring correct and proper use and protection of recorded data.

In the UK the Data Protection act 2018 is our implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This law establishes the basis for handling, processing and storing personal information - including recordings made with body worn cameras. Adherence to these regulations is essential to safeguard and maintain privacy. This includes the need to make certain data is always safe and securely stored. The data storage requirement has been interpreted by some as a need for encryption to ensure only those with the necessary permissions can access it.

The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) have published comprehensive guidelines on the use of CCTV which are also considered to apply to the use of body worn cameras by security personnel. Their guidelines provide practical recommendations regarding the need to obtain consent, addressing privacy concerns and how to handle and store recorded data.

Guidance for non-police use of body worn cameras includes the following recommendations and requirements.

• Wherever practical and possible, camera users should let subjects know that video and audio is being recorded.
• Recordings should ideally be commenced as close to the start of an incident as possible and should continue, uninterrupted, until the incident is over.
• Recorded data must be securely stored. This means access to recordings must be tightly controlled and only those with an ‘operational need’ to view footage or listen to audio should have access to it.
• All footage recorded with a body worn camera must be retained in accordance with personal data guidelines. Personal data refers to information related to an identified or identifiable individual.

Body Worn Camera Privacy Concerns

With the use of body worn cameras expanding into retail environments people naturally have privacy concerns. And unlike video footage recorded by CCTV cameras and vehicle dash-cams, recordings made with body worn cameras can also include close-up audio recordings.

It is widely recommended that that any proposed use of body worn cameras should involve an appropriate Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA). The aim of this assessment should be to evaluate the impact of body worn video recording equipment on the public.

A Privacy Impact Assessment should encourage organisations using body worn cameras to clearly define how and why body worn recording technology is being deployed. It should also encourage them to review their existing public privacy notices and make certain these accurately convey how the technology is being used and how collected data is secured.

The PIA should also address the organisation’s data retention policy by providing details of how long body camera footage is retained. It should also provide guidance in how members of the public can request CCTV or body worn camera footage in which they were recorded.

Can Body Worn Camera Recordings be Shared Online?

In order for video surveillance to be legal and compliant with data protection requirements it must be based on one of 6 lawful reasons for processing personal data: consent, contract, legal obligation, protection of vital interests, public task or legitimate interests.

In practice it is often difficult or impossible to derive consent from individuals in public spaces (such as supermarkets). The lawful basis for video surveillance in these situations is likely to be the ‘legitimate interest’ of the organisation. The legitimate reasons for body worn video surveillance in retail environments include staff safety and protection, property protection and preservation of evidence.

The sharing of bodycam footage online is closely related to sharing CCTV footage. Sharing CCTV footage online for entertainment purposes is illegal under the GDPR regulations or the UK Data Protection act 2018. This means CCTV footage and bodycam recordings cannot be legally shared online (or elsewhere) without written permission from all of the subjects in the video recording.

It is important to be aware of the definition of `processing` as it applies to video surveillance. The term is very broad and isn’t limited to the storage and sharing of recorded data. Collecting or viewing recordings also qualifies as processing and must comply with data protection legislation.

Body Worn Facial Recognition

The potential exists to technically link body worn video cameras to live facial recognition (LFR). This capability, which is under consideration by the UK government and law enforcement, has raised many concerns over privacy, lack of consent, technical vulnerabilities, inaccuracy and lack of transparency. But police forces believe live facial recognition represents the next big leap forward in fighting crime.

For more information on Body Worn Cameras for Supermarket Staff talk to Insight Security