Shoppers worry over AI monitoring as retailers ramp up in-store tracking to tackle rising crime

UK shoppers are uncomfortable about the rise of AI on the shop floor, with the majority (59%) unhappy with retailers using it to track them in-store as part of their security measures. But lack of awareness is as prominent as discomfort, with 57% completely unaware that AI-driven security is even being used.

The findings come from a new report, In-store Intelligence:AI’s Role in Retail’s Human Touch by VoCoVo, surveying UK consumers and retail decision makers about how AI is being adopted in physical retail environments, which highlights a range of privacy concerns among shoppers.

As colleagues face rising incidents of abuse and theft, retailers are arming their shop floors and people with new technologies to help keep them safe, including body-worn cameras. But everyday shoppers have their reservations. More than half (52%) are uncomfortable specifically with AI-enabled CCTV and body cameras monitoring them for colleague protection, even if the main purpose is to protect teams.

Fears among shoppers are being reinforced by conceptions about how collected information is stored. Half (53%) of consumers worry about how retailers retain their personal data and who they share it with. With a number of high-profile cyber-attacks impacting the UK retail sector in 2025, shoppers are perhaps apprehensive.

These concerns come as more retailers adopt AI-powered solutions to tackle rising incidents of theft and abuse, as well as to improve efficiencies in-store. Judging from further findings in the research, adoption is only set to increase. In the context of preventing theft, a third (34%) of retailers have implemented AI as part of their anti-theft strategy, and almost half (48%) are planning to in the next 12 months.

Where AI can have the biggest impact in tackling theft includes predictive analytics for high-risk products or shopping times (33%), incident reporting and evidence collection (32%) and colleague communication and coordination with security (30%). These capabilities are increasingly being integrated with headset devices, allowing colleagues to notify security or fellow team members discreetly for assistance before an incident escalates.

Currently, just under one-in-four (23%) retailers are already using AI to enhance the customer experience, with implementation in the pipeline for 70%. And among those who have adopted AI, they are seeing the greatest impact on product availability and stock accuracy (42%), closely followed by improved colleague productivity (40%) and more effective promotions and personalisation (32%).

Despite the clear benefits AI can offer in enhancing the in-store experience, consumers continue to value human interaction, seeing colleagues as an essential part of their shopping journey. As many as 84% of shoppers still rely on the help of team members when they are shopping in-store and 77% still prefer to talk to them rather than using technology for assistance. Reinforcing this point, 40% would stop shopping at a store that relied entirely on self-service.