Bunnings entitled to use FRT to fight retail crime, Australia tribunal says

By Saloni Sinha ( February 5, 2026, 06:08 GMT | Insight) -- Australian hardware giant Bunnings was “entitled” to use facial-recognition technology in its stores to combat serious retail crime and protect staff and customers, a tribunal ruled, overturning part of the privacy regulator’s 2024 finding that the conduct breached key privacy laws. In a determination published Wednesday and closely watched by other retailers, Australia’s Administrative Review Tribunal said Bunnings was justified in relying on the “permitted general situation” exemptions in the 1988 Privacy Act because it reasonably believed the collection was necessary to respond to serious unlawful activity.Australian hardware giant Bunnings was “entitled” to use facial-recognition technology in its stores to combat serious retail crime and protect staff and customers, a tribunal ruled, overturning part of the privacy regulator’s 2024 finding that the conduct breached key privacy laws....