Southampton Co-op stores using Chinese-state owned Hikivision cameras

The Daily Mail says that Co-op stores in the city have Hikvision's live facial recognition technology to monitor customers.

These cameras have been listed as a national security threat in the US – and the UK's Ministry of Defence has also issued guidance not to use the company's equipment.

Branches in Portsmouth are also using the system, which is provided by Facewatch: a live facial recognition software which says it helps retailers catch shoplifters and violent customers.

It says it keeps a database of the faces of 'subjects of interest' for two years, but claims unmatched faces are 'deleted instantly'.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Fraser Sampson, the Government's independent Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner for England and Wales, said: "I was asked to do an interview with Facewatch this week in which I addressed the importance of ethical practice – individual and corporate – if we are to retain public trust and confidence in the legitimate use of facial recognition generally.

"I also spoke about the importance of ethical leadership in this area which I believe involves not only responding to challenge but actively inviting it.

"I have publicly raised a number of pertinent questions with Hikvision several months ago. So far their answer has said very little but their response tells people a lot."

It is currently unknown which specific Southampton stores are employing the technology.

Hikivision is a Chinese state-owned manufacturer, headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Its controlling shares are owned by the Chinese government.

Also speaking with the Daily Mail, a Southern Co-op spokeswoman said: "No facial images from the Southern Co-op platform are shared with any other organisation.

"Our limited and targeted use of this technology is only where there is a high level of crime and is used to protect our store colleagues from assaults and violence."