Should you be concerned about the biometric scanners at Whole Foods?
A recent TikTok post about Whole Foods using biometric scanners as a payment method for groceries has been circulating on the internet.
The video sparked fear among some viewers, raising questions about increased reliance on technology to verify one’s identity in order to make purchases.
In the TikTok video, a shopper is seen exploring the new piece of tech, which is set up in the self-checkout station. She raises her palm to the scanner while making a purchase and wondering, “Is it going to work?”
The scanner quickly processes her order and completes the purchase without any need for her to fiddle in her purse or wallet for a credit card or cash.
After the transaction was completed successfully, she says, “No way,” seemingly in disbelief. The caption on the post reads, “technology is crazy and scaryyy.”
Commenters were quick to express their concerns. One of the top comments says, “y’all ain’t scared?”
Another user clarified that this payment method won’t work unless you opt into it. The video made it seem like the original poster wasn’t aware of what was going on.
Why are biometric scanners at Whole Foods?
Whole Foods, a company owned by Amazon, announced in a 2023 post on X by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy that by the end of 2023 these devices would be implemented in the 500-plus Whole Foods locations across the country.
Paying with your palm via Amazon One is a pretty great experience, and customers have been “voting with their palms” for many months now. By end of year, you won't need your wallet to pay when checking out at any of the 500+ U.S. @WholeFoods. https://t.co/fizfZIDo3P
— Andy Jassy (@ajassy) July 20, 2023
The push to implement these devices comes from the Amazon One initiative, an identity verification service, as per its website.
Biometric scanner services have previously been used in Amazon Go stores. Shoppers entered by scanning their palm, then picked up what they wanted to purchase and walked out. Cameras around the store would track and charge what they took without needing to go through a checkout line.
According to a 2022 article by CBS News, Amazon faced a lawsuit for tracking shoppers’ biometric information without their knowledge.
Why is Whole Foods using biometric scanners?
Amazon cites a desire for increased convenience and security as reasons for implementing this tech across its stores. There will be no more need to juggle groceries and a payment method. Instead, simply wave your palm over the scanner and you are done.
“This means Whole Foods Market customers who choose to use Amazon One will no longer need their wallet or even a phone to pay — they can simply hover their palm over an Amazon One device,” an Amazon press release explains.
It continues, “Additionally, unlike a credit card or password, an Amazon One palm signature can’t be replicated to impersonate a customer. That’s because Amazon One does not use raw palm images to identify a person. Instead, it looks at both the palm and underlying vein structure to create a unique numerical, vector representation — called a ‘palm signature’ — for identity matching.”
