Sainsbury’s Wrongly Ejects Warren Rajah via Facial Recognition

Key Points

• Warren Rajah, a 42-year-old data strategist from Elephant and Castle, south London, was shopping at his local Sainsbury’s store on January 27, 2026, when staff approached him, confiscated his items, and ordered him to leave.​
• Staff pointed to a sign indicating the use of facial recognition technology but provided no explanation, leaving Mr Rajah feeling like a “criminal”.
• Mr Rajah was mistaken for another person flagged as an offender in the Facewatch system, who was also present in the store at the time.
• After the incident, Mr Rajah contacted Facewatch, submitting his passport and a photo; they confirmed he was not on their database.
• Sainsbury’s apologised to Mr Rajah, offered a £75 shopping voucher, and attributed the error to “human error” rather than a fault in the technology.
• Facewatch described the incident as “human error in store, where a member of staff approached the wrong customer”.​
• Sainsbury’s has deployed Facewatch facial recognition in seven stores, including the Elephant and Castle location, claiming a “99.98 per cent accuracy rate” with every alert reviewed by trained colleagues.
• Mr Rajah stated the experience deterred him from shopping at Sainsbury’s, calling it “borderline fascistic” due to lack of explanation.
• Jasleen Chaggar of Big Brother Watch criticised the technology, saying it leaves people “one facial recognition mistake away from being falsely accused” and requiring more personal data for remedy.
• The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) reminded retailers to comply with data protection law, consider misidentification risks, and have robust procedures.​
• This is reportedly the first instance at Sainsbury’s where a shopper was wrongly approached by a store manager using Facewatch.​
• Sainsbury’s implemented the technology amid rising retail crime, including theft and violence against staff.

Elephant and Castle (South London News) February 6, 2026 – A shopper was left feeling like a “criminal” after being wrongly stopped and ejected from a Sainsbury’s store using facial recognition technology, highlighting concerns over privacy and accuracy in retail surveillance. Warren Rajah, 42, a data strategist from the area, had his shopping confiscated without explanation on January 27. The incident has sparked debate on the use of such systems in UK supermarkets.

What Happened to Warren Rajah at Sainsbury’s?

Warren Rajah was shopping at his local Sainsbury’s in Elephant and Castle when staff intervened. As reported by journalists at The Independent, Mr Rajah, described as “distraught”, questioned the staff, who pointed to a sign about facial recognition but offered no further details.​

He told the Press Association, as cited in multiple outlets including the BBC:

“You feel horrible, you feel like a criminal and you don’t even understand why.”

Mr Rajah added:

“To tell you to leave the store without any explanation gives you the impression that you’ve done something wrong. If you speak to anyone in the public, that is what they will tell you, when you’ve been forced and excluded from an environment, you automatically think you’ve done something wrong, especially with security. That’s just a normal human response.”

It emerged that Mr Rajah had been confused with another individual present in the store, flagged as an offender in the Facewatch database. Coverage in the Evening Standard noted the use of a family handout photo showing Mr Rajah, underscoring the personal impact.

Why Was Facial Recognition Involved?

Sainsbury’s, the UK’s second-largest supermarket chain, has rolled out Facewatch technology in seven stores to combat rising retail crime. According to Sainsbury’s website, as referenced in Yahoo UK News, the system boasts a “99.98 per cent accuracy rate,” with “every alert reviewed by trained colleagues before any action is taken.”

The technology alerts staff based on criminal behaviour data submitted by the store or nearby Facewatch users. Retail Gazette reported that the Elephant and Castle store is one of six in London with this system, introduced amid increasing theft and violence towards staff.​

A Sainsbury’s spokesman told the BBC:

“We have been in contact with Mr Rajah to sincerely apologise for his experience in our Elephant and Castle store. This was not an issue with the facial recognition technology in use but a case of the wrong person being approached in store.”

The company added that no one else had been incorrectly identified by Facewatch, marking this as the first such manager-led approach error.

How Did Mr Rajah Seek Answers from Facewatch?

Following his ejection, Mr Rajah contacted Facewatch directly. He submitted a copy of his passport and a photograph for verification. Facewatch confirmed there were “no incidents or alerts associated with [him]” on its database.

A Facewatch spokesman stated, as quoted in The Independent:

“We’re sorry to hear about Mr Rajah’s experience and understand why it would have been upsetting. This incident arose from a case of human error in store, where a member of staff approached the wrong customer. Our data protection team followed the usual process to confirm his identity and verified that he was not on our database and had not been subject to any alerts generated by Facewatch.”​

Facewatch explained to the BBC that legal requirements necessitate “appropriate identity checks” before disclosing sensitive information, after which data is deleted.

What Compensation Did Sainsbury’s Offer?

Sainsbury’s responded by apologising and providing a £75 shopping voucher. The spokesman reiterated to multiple outlets, including the Mirror: “This was not an issue with the facial recognition technology in use but a case of the wrong person being approached in store.”

Despite the gesture, Mr Rajah expressed dissatisfaction. Eastern Eye reported he had frequented the store for a decade and now feels publicly humiliated.​

What Is Mr Rajah’s Reaction Now?

Mr Rajah has sworn off Sainsbury’s entirely. He told reporters, as covered in The Independent:

“It’s borderline fascistic as well, how can you just have something done to you and not have an understanding? How can you be excluded from a space and not have an understanding or an explanation?”​

He emphasised raising awareness about facial recognition in stores, stating he has “no interest” in returning. Coverage in the Daily Mirror highlighted his rage over the “borderline fascistic” treatment.​

What Do Critics Say About Facial Recognition in Shops?

Jasleen Chaggar of civil liberties group Big Brother Watch condemned the incident. As reported by The Independent’s journalists:

“The idea that we are all just one facial recognition mistake away from being falsely accused of a crime or ejected from a store without any explanation is deeply chilling. To add insult to injury, innocent people seeking remedy must jump through hoops and hand over even more personal data just to discover what they’re accused of. In the vast majority of cases, they are offered little more than an apology when companies are finally forced to admit the tech got it wrong.”

Ms Chaggar added that Big Brother Watch regularly hears from traumatised individuals caught in “privatised biometric surveillance”. The Independent noted this as a recurring issue.​

What Does the ICO Advise on This Technology?

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a reminder on responsibilities. A spokesman told reporters, as quoted across BBC and Independent: “Facial recognition technology can help retailers detect and prevent crime and has clear benefits in the public interest. However, its use must comply with data protection law. Retailers should carefully consider the risks of misidentification and have robust procedures in place to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the personal information they collect and process. This is especially important where personal information is used in situations which can have a serious impact on a person.”​

How Widespread Is Facial Recognition in UK Retail?

Sainsbury’s deployment is part of a broader trend. The chain uses it in seven stores amid a “sharp increase in retail crime”, per its statements. Retail Gazette specified six London locations, including Elephant and Castle.

Facewatch, provider to multiple retailers, maintains a shared database. No other misidentifications at Sainsbury’s were reported in coverage.​

Could This Happen Again at Sainsbury’s?

Sainsbury’s insists robust reviews prevent issues, but this first error raises questions. The ICO stresses “robust procedures” for high-impact uses. Big Brother Watch warns of ongoing risks without stricter oversight.​

Mr Rajah’s case, covered extensively by PA wire services and outlets like London Now, underscores human oversight needs despite high tech accuracy claims.​