Seven in ten UK shoppers find facial recognition technology 'creepy'

A study of over 1,000 UK consumers by personalisation firm RichRelevance found that while people are turned off by facial recognition, shoppers welcome some elements of personalisation.

Some 63% of shoppers welcomed a mobile personalised map showing item locations and efficient store paths to help them navigate stores more conveniently.

Almost half (43%) found in-store location deals – where their location is tracked in order to trigger personalised promotions whilst shopping – “cool”.

Consumers in Yorkshire and The Humber are the most “creeped out” by personalisation, while shoppers in London are more open to it.

While half of under-30s find personalised product recommendations in the dressing room “cool”, only a quarter of over-45s would welcome the capability.

Another area that caused concern is the prospect of a salesperson greeting a customer by name when entering a store after receiving a signal from the consumer’s mobile phone. Some 73% of the respondents found the prospect of such a service ‘creepy’.

RichRelevance chief marketing officer Diane Kegley said:  “While it’s always been a well-known fact that UK consumers are keen protectors of their privacy and personal space, we now have a clearer view into where they are increasingly embracing – and even expecting – tailored shopping services in the fast-changing world of retail.”