Bunnings Facial Recognition Trial Begins in New Zealand Ahead of Possible Australia Rollout

Bunnings to trial facial recognition in New Zealand stores ahead of possible Australian rollout

Bunnings is trialling facial recognition technology in New Zealand as the retailer looks to strengthen store security and improve protection for team members. The trial is also being seen as an important step toward a possible facial recognition rollout across Australia. 

The company plans to introduce the technology in two of its 51 New Zealand stores from April 2026. The move comes as retail businesses continue to face rising levels of theft, repeat offending and aggressive incidents directed at frontline staff. 

🌟Why Bunnings is investing in facial recognition technology

Bunnings has made it clear that staff safety is a major driver behind the trial. The retailer says facial recognition technology could become a useful tool in identifying known offenders and helping security teams respond more effectively in-store. 

The technology has previously been used in a limited Bunnings trial, where CCTV systems captured facial images on entry and compared them against a database of banned individuals or people linked to past abusive behaviour. When a match was detected, security staff were alerted. If there was no match, the data was processed and almost immediately deleted. 

📌 New Zealand trial to shape Australia rollout plans

The New Zealand rollout is expected to play a key role in helping Bunnings decide how to move forward in Australia. The company is taking a measured approach after a recent tribunal decision found that its use of facial recognition technology was justified in the context of fighting retail crime and protecting workers, while also making clear that stronger customer notification would be needed in any wider rollout. 

Bunnings has said it hopes to gain clearer direction on its Australian rollout pathway within the next six months, although the final timing will depend on getting the settings right. 

📌 Retail crime remains a growing issue

The push for stronger security measures comes amid growing pressure on major retailers. According to Bunnings, incidents involving theft and violence across its 450 Australian stores are still rising by more than 10 per cent each year. In the first seven months of the 2026 financial year, the retailer recorded more than 20,000 incidents, or roughly 90 incidents a day. 

These figures highlight why more retailers are exploring advanced store security technology, including facial recognition, as part of wider loss prevention strategies. Industry representatives say there is increasing appetite for practical frameworks that allow retailers to deploy these systems responsibly while also protecting the privacy of law-abiding shoppers. 

While facial recognition technology is gaining support as a retail security solution, it remains a debated topic. Supporters argue it can help deter repeat offenders and improve worker safety. Critics warn that the technology must be carefully managed to avoid privacy issues and unintended consequences, including the possibility that crime may shift towards smaller businesses with fewer resources. 

What This Means for Retail

Bunnings’ facial recognition trial in New Zealand marks an important development for the retail sector. As the business evaluates the results, the trial could become a major reference point for whether facial recognition technology will be rolled out more broadly across Australian retail. 

Reference: The Nightly