More Bunnings stores across New Zealand have turned on facial recognition technology (FRT), a move the company says will ensure safety for team members and customers. 

With the latest update, FRT has expanded to 32 stores across the North Island, building on the launch at Te Rapa and Hamilton South in April.

According to Melissa Haines, GM at Bunnings New Zealand, threatening incidents at local stores have more than doubled over the last four years. The company has been using a range of measures to keep its team and customers safe. FRT, she says, plays a part in these efforts by identifying serious repeat offenders and enabling swift actions.

“Our Hamilton rollout has given us a positive foundation, and during this initial phase, we’ve focused on responsible implementation, including through team training, our internal processes and community engagement, and this gives us confidence to use FRT across our North Island stores”, Haines said.

“We have made sure that our team, not the technology, makes the final call, and we are seeing this operate in practice, successfully.”

Bunnings is also working with a Māori digital sovereignty expert to guide its approach to the rollout, and has incorporated tikanga Māori considerations into its processes. This includes bilingual signage, culturally specific misidentification pathways, and cultural awareness training for team members.