Venezuela installs finger scanners in supermarkets

Venezuela is due to begin installing about 20,000 fingerprint scanners at supermarkets across the country, as part of its introduction of rationing. President Nicolas Maduro said the system would reduce food hoarding and panic buying. Over the last year there have been long queues at supermarkets because of widespread shortages of basic goods. Mr Maduro said the shortages were due to manipulation of the food supply and prices. The president announced that seven major retailers have agreed to install the scanners in stores. The government first introduced the plans for compulsory biometric cards in August 2014. This followed the failure of a voluntary card system earlier in the year. More…