Tesco installs high-tech screens to scan customers

4th Nov 2013 09:55

Tesco is installing hundreds of high-tech screens that detect the age and sex of shoppers for advertisers, sparking concerns from privacy campaigners. The supermarket chain has signed a deal with Lord Alan Sugar's Amscreen for the OptimEyes system, which will be rolled out into 450 Tesco petrol forecourts.The system has inbuilt cameras in a TV-style screen above the till that will identify the sex, age and determine how they look at the ad. The data is then sent to advertisers to be used in judging the effectiveness of their campaigns. "Yes it's like something out of Minority Report, but this could change the face of British retail and our plans are to expand the screens into as many supermarkets as possible," Simon Sugar, Amscreen Chief Executive, told industry magazine The Grocer. "We're extremely excited to call Tesco a screen network partner."His comments were in reference to the 2002 sci-fi film Minority Report where Tom Cruise's character is screened as he walks down a street. The news angered privacy campaigners who are worried about the growing use of invasive technology. However, Sugar insisted that the technology simply works out gender and sorts customers into one of three age brackets and does not store images or recognise people. Amscreen said the Tesco deal is its biggest since the technology was unveiled earlier this summer.Shares in Tesco were up 0.06% to 363.60p at 10:12 on Monday.RD