Facewatch, a facial recognition service used by more than 100 UK retailers such as Sainsbury’s, B&M and Spar, will introduce a feature that notifies police in real time when a match for a serious offender is detected, according to the company. The technology has been employed for several years to deter shop theft, and the new capability extends its functionality by linking directly to police databases. Civil liberties organisations have expressed concern, stating that real‑time police alerts could increase the risk of misidentification and lead to disproportionate policing of everyday shoppers. The rollout is expected to commence later this year, and the company says it will adhere to data protection regulations while civil liberties groups intend to observe its implementation.