Tesco, Morrisons and M&S ban Chinese CCTV cameras over national security and privacy concerns

Tesco, Morrisons and M&S have stopped purchasing Chinese-made CCTV cameras amid privacy fears and concerns of the companies’ products being linked to human rights abuses in China. According to The Telegraph, the supermarkets have removed equipment supplied by Hikvision and Dahua over their alleged involvement in the suppression of the Uyghur Muslim minority residing in north-west China.

Marks & Spencer said it did not have any Hikvision cameras in any of its stores as part of its policy to ensure its supply chains were “sustainable and ethical and that human rights are respected”. Hikvision has been banned from supplying its technology in the US after being judged an unacceptable risk to national security. Under Chinese law, companies must “support, assist and co-operate” with state intelligence work.