Walmart Employees Now Wearing Body Cameras to Keep Them Safe

Some Walmart employees are now wearing body cameras in U.S. stores as part of a scheme to help deter conflict and theft.

America’s largest retailer has some employees in stores taking part in a body camera pilot program.

It’s not clear how many Walmart stores are using the recording devices, However, some locations now display signs at their entrances notifying shoppers of “body-worn cameras in use,” according to witnesses cited in a report by CNBC.

A customer in Denton, Texas shared a photo of a Walmart employee wearing a yellow-and-black body camera earlier this month with CNBC.

Body Cameras for Front End
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Meanwhile, a photo reportedly showing body cameras in charging bays in a Walmart store was posted on Reddit in November. The image includes a poster providing instructions on how to use the camera to record an event if an interaction with a customer is escalating.

“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 tells CNBC.

“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 private employer in the U.S., is experimenting with body camera technology following its adoption by smaller retailers as a theft deterrent.

While body cameras are often promoted for their ability to reduce shoplifting, Walmart reportedly plans to use them to enhance worker safety rather than for loss prevention, according to a source familiar with the program.

Walmart operates 4,700 stores and clubs across the country, and employs 1.6 million people in the U.S. In 2023, there were more than 200 violent incidents at Walmart stores, according to United for Respect, a worker rights
group.

CBS News reports that Walmart is not alone in looking at body cameras, with more than a third of retailers reporting having researched the option according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.

TJX, which operates TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, also began outfitting security workers with police-type body cameras at some of its locations over the past year.

In April, staff at British bakery chain Greggs started wearing body cameras after a reported rise in thefts of pastries. The bakery chain Greggs has over 2,500 stores in the U.K. — which is more locations than Subway and McDonald’s have in the country.

 
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.