In an effort to provide more security at its stores, Walmart has announced that it will test body cameras on some employees. The test comes after a series of violent incidents at its stores.
CNBC reported about the change earlier this month after a Walmart associate checking receipts at a store in Denton, Texas, was spotted and photographed wearing a recording device.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for Walmart confirmed with CBS News that it was testing a program where some of its employees wear body cameras.
“While we don’t talk about the specifics of our security measures, we are always looking at new and innovative technology used across the retail industry. This is a pilot we are testing in one market, and we will evaluate the results before making any longer-term decisions,” a Walmart spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch.
The response from Walmart comes as reports of violent incidents in retail stores are on the rise across the country. According to a report from United for Respect, a worker rights group, there were more than 200 violent incidents at Walmart stores nationwide in 2023.
Despite the rise in shoplifting throughout the last few years, the cameras are reportedly not meant to stop merchandise from leaving the store.
Citing a person close to the situation, CBS reported that the body cameras are “for the safety and security of workers — it’s not designed for anti-theft measures.”
The National Retail Federation shared in a report last year that more than a third of retailers had looked into the option to help protect workers from violence.
“No retailer reported being fully operational, but 11% are either piloting or testing the solution,” the NRF shared in its report.
“Retailers are making every effort to ensure the safety and well-being of their customers, associates, and communities. The use of body cameras is still a newer technology being used in retail, and individual retailers are finding how this technology best works within their environments,” David Johnston, the NRF’s vice president of asset protection and retail operations, said Tuesday.
Compared to 2019, the report found that 91% of those who it surveyed felt that shoplifters have been getting more violent and aggressive.
Other stores to start testing cameras include TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Homegoods, as workers are being outfitted with police-type body cameras, their parent company TJX shared over the summer, CNN reported.