A survey from the German Press Agency (dpa) has revealed that selected shops and supermarkets in Germany are now using AI-enhanced cameras at self-checkouts to prevent theft.

REWE and Rossmann roll out AI cameras

According to a report from the dpa, several shops and supermarkets in Germany have begun using AI-enhanced cameras to detect if customers are stealing while using self-checkouts. 

The news agency reported that REWE, Rossmann and IKEA are among the many companies that have confirmed they are already using the software. Kaufland, Lidl and Obi are considering whether to follow suit.

“Many retailers use AI-supported surveillance and analytics tools. The number of shops equipped [with the technology] is increasing and will continue to in the next years,” Frank Horst of the EHI retail research institute told the dpa.

According to the EHI, the number of goods stolen is between 15 and 30 percent higher at self-checkouts than at checkouts where a cashier is working. 

How do the AI self-checkout cameras work?

The new AI-enhanced cameras detect suspected theft cases by analysing customer behaviour in real time. For example, the machine can detect if an item has been placed in the bagging area without being scanned. If the item is unscanned, the self-checkout may show the message “Has the last item been scanned?” ("Wurde der letzte Artikel gescannt?"). 

The camera can also detect more detailed inconsistencies, such as a customer scanning a cheaper item and placing a more expensive item in the bagging area, and if the final list of scanned items matches the weight of the shopping on the scale. It can also confirm customers' IDs for buying beer or other age-restricted products.

In some cases, the self-checkout software then reports these inconsistencies to cashiers without alerting the suspected shopper.

Speaking to Tagesschau, Christoph Annemüller of Diebold Nixdorf, one of the companies selling the technology, assured that the software complies with data protection regulations and that customers surveilled by the AI-enhanced cameras remain anonymous.

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