Major UK supermarket retailer Sainsbury's has announced plans to introduce new technology across its stores as part of a controversial change.

The store has revealed plans to introduce new facial recognition technology across its stores as part of efforts to improve the identification of shoplifters after a sharp increase in retail crime has been seen in recent years.

Sainsbury's has now informed staff in two of its stores of plans to start an eight-week trial of the facial recognition technology which, if successful, could see the devices being rolled out across the retailer's stores.

As the UK's second largest supermarket, Sainsbury's will be the second store to trial the new technology after Asda launched its own trial earlier in the year.

Never miss a story with the MEN's daily

See Full Page