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Prada shoppers under tech-surveillance

But can the central computer tell you if your 'bum looks big in this'...

By Pia Heikkila

Published: 17 June 2002 14:55 BST

Fashion designer Prada has installed computer system inside its store to monitor shoppers' behaviour.

The Italian couturier's store in New York is wired up with high-tech equipment that can track which garments or shoes the shopper picks up and then relay the information back to a sales assistant's handheld device and the store's central computer.

Every item in the shop has a tiny chip installed inside a label.

The company says it is hoping to study shoppers' psyche better and hoping to build more detailed customer profiles and offer more detailed advice - tailored to the shopping habits of the individual.

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