I agree it's partly about shoplifting and even robbery concerns.
Still, you can't demand that all of your customers submit to having a close-up mug shot taken just for the privilege of walking into your store, and then expect that everyone is just going to meekly accept it.
Something else to consider is that by saving close-up mug shots of people who have done nothing wrong, you create a handy-dandy little database for police to use.
Cross-matched with Drivers Licenses and Provincial I.D. card photographs using the same biometric software, they can identify every person who enters that store from these close-up photographs.
And since I am not a criminal, I object to being "carded" by any means just because I walked into a gun shop to buy a bottle of Hoppe's #9.
