A BBC story this week about a retailer in Wrexham who has refused to take down signs in his store calling shoplifters ‘scumbags,’ has raised issues around what stores can and can’t do when it comes to displaying information about shoppers.
The store, which sells a variety of vintage and second-hand items, had been the victim of shoplifting to the value of £200, owner Rob Davies said, and as a result he’d been forced to lock cabinets.
He followed this move up with the signs, which many locals welcomed and agreed with. But after an anonymous complaint, North Wales police visited Davies to advise him not everyone appreciated the move.
However, any stores considering ‘naming and shaming’ shoplifters in a similar fashion to pubs who showed ‘barred’ customers might fall foul of laws in place to prevent such actions.
When it comes to sharing of images of suspected shoplifters, a spokesperson from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) told Convenience Store that, while the Wrexham incident is a specific case which it couldn’t comment on: “We don’t set strict requirements on how organisations should respond to shoplifting, as data protection law recognises that circumstances can vary. Instead, we provide guidance to help organisations use people’s information in a way that is lawful, fair and proportionate.
“Data protection law enables retailers to share images to prevent or detect crime, as long as it’s necessary and proportionate in the circumstances.”
“Data protection law enables retailers to share images to prevent or detect crime, as long as it’s necessary and proportionate in the circumstances. For example, this could include sharing images with the police, shopping centre security teams, or other relevant authorities.
“Retailers will need to consider the relevant privacy implications, such as having a legal reason and appropriate security measures, when considering publishing any images of suspected shoplifters.
“Any retailers using or sharing information to prevent or detect crime who aren’t sure how to do this in a compliant way can contact us for advice or find information on our website. If businesses have any questions or concerns, we’re here to help.”
The ICO has also produced specific information on data protection for retailers, which is available here.
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