I didn't even know this was happening in Aus until i read this article

ABC: Consumer group CHOICE is referring Kmart, Bunnings and The Good Guys to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to investigate potential breaches of the Privacy Act over their use of facial recognition technology.

Kate Bower, CHOICE: Facial recognition (by retailers) is completely inappropriate and unnecessary. .. The technology is capturing highly personal data from customers, including infants and children

To make matters worse, we found 76 per cent of Australians aren't aware that retailers are capturing their unique facial features in this way.

Using facial recognition technology in this way is similar to Kmart, Bunnings or The Good Guys collecting your fingerprints or DNA every time you shop. Businesses using invasive technologies to capture their customers' sensitive biometric information is unethical and is a sure way to erode consumer trust.

There's a tendency to think that the social credit system & invasive biometric surveillance is only something done by totalitarian regimes such as the CCP in China. The fact is it's happening everywhere.

Simon McDowell, Bunnings' CEO: (Facial recognition) is used to identify persons of interest who have previously been involved in incidents of concern in our stores.

This technology is an important measure that helps us to maintain a safe and secure environment for our team and customers.

So creepy! It's no coincidence that the three biggest offenders, Bunnings (hardware), K-mart, and Good Guys (electronic appliances) all have the vast majority of their products manufactured in China.

Shows once again that many powerful corporations, political parties, health/science/drug experts have way more in common with the CCP's world-view than they do with traditional democratic notions of human rights/privacy. In fact they seen the individual's rights as their natural enemy.