As Major Retailers Use Facial Recognition Technology, Some CT Leaders Want To Stop It

Two state lawmakers are pushing to ban the use of facial recognition technology in stores throughout Connecticut.

This past week, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, and State Sen. James Maroney, D-Milford, announced they will introduce a bill in the 2026 legislative session, which starts in February.

While retailers use the technology for security and loss prevention, the practice has sparked concerns about consumer privacy and potential misuse of data.

Wegmans, which has a store in Norwalk, has indicated it uses the technology at a “small fraction” of its stores to identify individuals who have previously been flagged for misconduct.

“This technology is solely used for keeping our stores secure and safe,” the company said, in a statement.

ShopRite, which has been using the technology for years, posts a sign outside to notify customers if it is being used at a particular location.

ShopRite says biometric information is collected and stored in an internal database. If a customer who has been banned, such as for prior theft, enters a ShopRite, the technology identifies them and alerts store personnel, according to the company.

Walmart and Home Depot are other examples of large chains using the technology.

According to Duff and Maroney, facial recognition systems can capture, store, and analyze uniquely identifying biometric data “without a customer’s knowledge or meaningful consent, raising serious questions about data security, misuse, and civil liberties.”

The lawmakers said their bill would prohibit retail establishments in Connecticut from using facial recognition technology on customers, “ensuring that individuals can shop without being subject to biometric surveillance.”

“Connecticut residents shouldn’t have to worry about giving up information about themselves while grocery shopping,” Duff said. “Facial recognition technology is highly invasive and poses real risks to privacy and trust. This bill will put people first and ensure retailers cannot collect or store personal biometric information about someone just because they walked into a store.”

Maroney said lawmakers need to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.

“As technology continues to advance, we must be proactive and step in to protect consumers from surveillance they did not consent to,” Maroney said.

The lawmakers asserted that facial recognition data, if compromised,
“can expose individuals to long-term privacy and security risks.”

Read more:
Is Wegmans Collecting Biometric Data On CT Shoppers? What To Know About Controversial Policy
Wegmans Collects Biometric Data On Shoppers: What To Know About Controversial Policy