Google Maps
Free Upper West Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox
It’s been nearly two years since Wegmans chairman Danny Wegman signed a long-term lease for approximately 58,900 square feet at 1932 Broadway, between 64th and 65th streets—the former home of Bed, Bath & Beyond. Since then, Upper West Siders have been eagerly awaiting the supermarket’s arrival.
Advertisement
But while the opening date remains a mystery, recent news about Wegmans’ business practices may give some Upper West Siders pause—and a strong sense of déjà vu.Wegmans has begun collecting biometric data from anyone who enters its Manhattan and Brooklyn supermarkets. New signage posted earlier this month indicates the chain is gathering data on customers’ faces, eyes, and voices, which it uses to “protect the safety and security of our patrons and employees,” as first reported by Gothamist.
The practice is an expansion of a 2024 pilot program that Wegmans had initially said would only involve a small group of employees. The company had also promised to delete any biometric data collected from shoppers during the pilot. The new signage makes no such assurances.
In a follow-up statement, Wegmans spokesperson Deana Percassi defended the practice, saying the supermarket chain only uses facial recognition on a case-by-case basis at stores with “elevated risk.” The system identifies people who have been “previously flagged for misconduct,” determined by the company’s asset protection team or, in some cases, based on information from law enforcement for criminal or missing persons cases.
Percassi clarified that while signage mentions eye scans and voiceprints, Wegmans does not actually collect retinal scans or voice prints. She also stated that the company does not share facial recognition data with any third party.
Advertisement
ILTUWS reached out to Wegmans with two questions: whether they had an estimated opening date for the Upper West Side location, and whether this location would be collecting biometric data from its customers. The company’s response did not answer either question. Here’s what we got from a Wegmans PR rep:“Prior to opening our Astor Place store, we were working with Glenwood to lease the space at 1932 Broadway. When that didn’t pan out, we had the opportunity to sign the lease for Astor Place. Shortly after we committed to Astor Place, the 1932 Broadway space became available, however the timing wasn’t right, as we were focused on getting our Astor location designed, permitted, and open to the public. While a long-term lease was signed for the space at 1932 Broadway back in February 2024, we continue to remain focused on our Astor Place store.”
The non-answer leaves Upper West Siders in the dark about both the store’s target opening date and whether they’ll be subject to biometric surveillance when they shop there.
For regular ILTUWS readers, this story may sound familiar. In March 2023, we reported that Fairway Market was using facial recognition technology at its Upper West Side location on 74th Street, as well as its Upper East Side and Chelsea stores.
At the time, Fairway employees seemed unaware of the practice, and the legally required signage notifying customers was either missing or difficult to find. Only after ILTUWS inquired did clear signage appear taped to the door. Karen O’Shea, a spokeswoman for Wakefern, Fairway’s parent company, defended the technology as a tool to combat retail theft, saying it helps “focus attention on repeat shoplifters.”
The expansion of biometric surveillance in grocery stores has raised alarm among privacy advocates and some customers. Shopper Johnny Jerido, 59, told Gothamist he would shop elsewhere after learning about Wegmans’ collection system. “I really don’t like it,” he said. “I don’t want no one to think I’m stealing anything or doing anything illegal.”
Advertisement
Will Owen, a privacy advocate with the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, warned that storing customers’ biometric data exposes them to risks from hackers or immigration enforcement. “It’s really chilling that immigrant New Yorkers going into Wegmans and other grocery stores have to worry about their highly sensitive biometric data potentially getting into the hands of ICE,” he said.City Councilmember Shahana Hanif has sponsored legislation to ban stores from collecting biometric data entirely. The bill was first introduced in 2023 after Madison Square Garden CEO James Dolan used facial recognition to identify and eject attorneys who worked for law firms with active litigation against his company. But the bill has languished in the City Council.
“Biometric data should not be collected, stored, or sold by private actors—it poses a serious threat to our civil liberties,” Hanif said. “I’m reintroducing this bill and I am hopeful it will move forward in the new session.”
Monroe County Legislator Rachel Barnhart also wrote to Wegmans president Colleen Wegman, expressing concern about the practice. “Biometric data is uniquely sensitive. Unlike other consumer data, it cannot be changed if misused, misidentified, or improperly shared,” Barnhart wrote. “Wegmans has built its brand on trust and community connection. That trust depends on transparency.” While a 2021 city law requires businesses collecting biometric data to post signs announcing the practice, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection has no enforcement mechanism for businesses that don’t comply. Customers are left to pursue their own legal action.
For now, Upper West Siders will have to continue waiting to find out when Wegmans will open its doors at 1932 Broadway—and whether they’ll be watched while they shop for groceries.
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
