Co-op is planning to use artificial intelligence to detect offenders carrying concealed weapons or stolen goods in stores after revealing thefts have cost the chain almost £40m during the first half of the year.
The technology is currently being trialled and can detect physical assaults on staff and notify a central monitoring station operated by Mitie who can then request support, The Guardian has reported.
The retailer has spent £18m so far this year on measures to protect staff in its food business, including rolling out body-worn cameras and fortified kiosks.
This also includes installing AI technology in 14 of its stores to detect if someone has left without paying for an item, or whether someone has entered with a concealed weapon.
The Co-op said incidents of shoplifting, abuse, violence and anti-social behaviour increased by 44% last year, as it faced an average of 1,000 incidents each day. Leakage costs from theft and fraud rose by 19% to £39.5m in the first half of the year.
Food managing director Matt Hood said: “The reality is every day four of my colleagues will be attacked and a further 116 colleagues will be seriously abused.”
Hood revealed that police failed to attend 79% of incidents last year where a criminal had been detained.
“We are 100% committed to tackling it and to making our colleagues safe and over £200m has been spent over recent years in safety and insecurity. But as an industry we can’t fix this on our own.”
In the King’s speech earlier this year, it was revealed that attacking or abusing a shopworker will be made a standalone offence, which both Co-op and Tesco welcomed.
