Rotorua supermarket faces backlash over misidentification in facial recognition trial

A Māori mother was left feeling racially discriminated against and embarrassed after being mistakenly identified as a trespasser during a trial of facial recognition technology at a Rotorua supermarket.

Te Ani Solomon, a longtime resident of Rotorua, recounted the incident at New World Westend on her 47th birthday, describing it as a ‘horrible’ ordeal. She and her teenage son had stopped by the supermarket to purchase food, only to be confronted by staff who accused her of trespassing.

According to Solomon, despite her protests and offers of identification, the staff insisted she leave, basing their decision on an image that she claims did not resemble her. She told legacy media of her anger at what she perceived as deliberate intimidation and disrespect, stating, ‘just because I’m black and wear a cap you twats have decided that’s me.’

The incident, which lasted about 10 minutes, culminated in Solomon leaving the store without her intended purchase and feeling helpless and humiliated. While she understood the need to combat shoplifting, no one should endure such treatment, she said.

Solomon was concerned the incident occurred despite staff training for the facial recognition trial, leading her to feel at risk wherever she goes.

A spokesperson for Foodstuffs acknowledged the mistake as one of human error and apologised to Solomon. They assured that further training would be provided to staff, and the incident would be reported to the Privacy Commissioner.

The incident prompted the Commissioner Michael Webster to launch an inquiry into the facial recognition trial, citing concerns about bias and accuracy, particularly regarding people of colour. Consumer New Zealand also voiced privacy concerns, labeling the technology as highly invasive and highlighting potential reliability issues, especially for certain racial groups.