Report: Grocery shelves to monitor shopper habits

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Your grocery store shelves will reportedly be keeping an eye on you soon.

According to RT.com, the futuristic shelves, designed by Mondelez International, could be in stores as early as 2015.

The devices — still in development — will rely on high-tech sensors to snoop in on the facial features of shoppers and predict roughly their age and sex. From there, a database of intelligence can be matched in real-time and allow Mondelēz to make recommendations, offer discounts and practically any other imaginable option. All, of course, specific to how the company’s data perceives that type of customer.

“Knowing that a consumer is showing interest in the product gives us the opportunity to engage with them in real-time,” Mondelēz CIO Mark Dajani told the Wall Street Journal recently.

Dajani also said that every time a customer walks past a product it’s a missed opportunity for food sellers.

There is a (small) bright side for those who are freaked out by the shelves: They will not utilize cameras. Instead, they will rely on a system of sensors designed to determine the age and sex of the shopper. No identifying information will be collected.