Walmart (NYSE:WMT) shares hesitatedTuesday, amid reports the store chain has started giving store-level associates body cameras to wear as part of a pilot program at some of its U.S. locations.
It’s not clear how many of Walmart’s stores have the recording devices, but some locations now have signs at entry points warning shoppers that it has “body-worn cameras in-use,” according to witnesses and photos posted online.
In at least one store in Denton, Texas — about 40 miles (70 kilometres) north of Dallas — an associate checking receipts was seen wearing a yellow-and-black body camera earlier this month, according to shoppers.
“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,” a Walmart spokesperson told reporters. “This is a pilot we are testing in one market, and we will evaluate the results before making any longer-term decisions.”
Walmart, the largest nongovernmental employer in the U.S., is testing the technology after smaller retailers started trying body cameras at their own stores as a way to deter theft. Body cameras and the footage they gather are commonly advertised as a way to prevent shoplifting, but Walmart intends to use the tech for worker safety — not as a loss prevention tool, according to a person familiar with the program.
WMT shares dipped 25 cents to $94.62.