Lidl has followed Tesco in introducing controversial ‘checkout VAR’ technology as part of a wider crackdown on shoplifting, which has reached record highs across the UK.
According to The Independent, the discounter has installed overhead cameras at self-checkouts in two London stores to identify when an item has not been scanned.
The tech plays back a live-action recording of the missed scan before shoppers can pay, mimicking the instant replay system used by football’s Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
It comes after Tesco debuted a similar system in May, which sparked widespread social media mockery, with users joking “VAR Decision – Tuna Disallowed” in a viral video that clocked up more than 3.5 million views.
Sainsbury’s has also begun trialling AI recognition tools to enhance security across select stores, as shoplifting continues to plague the retail sector.
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Figures from the Office for National Statistics show police recorded 515,971 shoplifting offences in 2024 – a 20% increase year-on-year and the highest level since records began in 2003.
Retailers say tech is essential to protect staff and curb growing losses. Tom Ironside, director of business and regulation at the British Retail Consortium warned: “Retail crime is continuing to spiral out of control” and now costs UK retailers more than £2.2bn a year.
“While retailers are spending £1.8bn on anti-crime measures, thieves are becoming bolder and more aggressive, resulting in an increase in violence and abuse against staff,” he said. “It is vital we see more police resource allocated to tackle this epidemic of crime.”
Tesco, Lidl, and Sainsbury’s have yet to confirm whether the tech will be rolled out nationally.
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