RNZ asked what percentage of serious threatening behaviour incidents were being committed by minors at its supermarkets, but the company did not say. The company said the preponderance of teenagers among offenders did not undermine its expectation that adult-only facial recognition was a good way of combating the issue. Facial recognition was a proportionate response because the North Island supermarket trial had been effective at reducing serious threatening behaviour, the privacy assessment said. Auror is a big player in vehicle licence plate recognition but earlier said it had avoided facial recognition until a few months ago because the technology had not been accurate enough at the time. Facial recognition relies on biometrics, like a person’s face or fingerprints.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 24, 2025 12:54 UTC