Does anyone believe that these cameras are really just about being able to '..spot underage drinkers...'?!?

Hi-tech face recognition cameras used in Budgens to spot underage drinkers

Last updated at 14:41pm on 13th May 2008

Underage drinkers attempting to buy alcohol could soon be thwarted by cutting edge technology currently used by police to identify suspected criminals.

A supermarket chain is introducing face recognition cameras in a bid to prevent staff mistakenly selling cigarettes and booze to children.

The biometric technology, which helps identify underage customers, is being piloted by Budgens at one of their London branches.....

Whole article here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=566181&in_page_id=1770

Fingerprint scans to check on staff

London Lite, May 14th 2008

FINGERPRINT scans are being installed at London supermarkets to make sure staff turn up for work.

The scheme, already used at six Budgens stores, requires workers to clock in by fingerprint. The supermarket hopes it will cut "buddy punching" fraud - where employees persuade colleagues to punch their time cards when they are late or off. The scheme has been so successful that the chain plans to extend it to another 20 stores within weeks.

Utpal Patel of Erongrove, the company which runs the Budgens franchises in the trial, said: "We knew we had a problem with buddy punching but had no way to prove it. Now we hope to save £10,000 a year."

Rival supermarket franchise Costcutter is also using the scheme at two of its stores.


Fingerprinting has gone mainstream

May 12, 2008

For years, the big blocker to the adoption of fingerprint-based security was its association with criminals - for most people, the image it first brought to mind was a villain having his fingertips rolled on an ink-pad by a police officer.

That's changed, though. With so many laptops and other devices including fingerprint readers as standard, it seems we're all now used to being fingerprinted even when we know we're innocent.

Across the Atlantic, what used to be the Land of the Free fingerprints all its visitors - very politely, it must be said - and on this side of the pond, BAA wanted to fingerprint all travellers changing flights at Heathrow T5, although that plan got kicked out by the UK Information Commissioner.

Still, I felt a faint sense of unease at the news the supermarket chain Budgens is fingerprinting employees at six of its stores, with plans to roll the scheme out over many more......

Whole article here:

http://www.techworld.com/networking/blogs/index.cfm?blogid=2&entryid=881