IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS FOR GENERATING MAP OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AN IMAGE AND A LAYOUT PLAN

According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an image acquiring unit, a commodity identifying unit, a commodity map generator and a commodity determination unit. The image acquiring unit acquires a number of images that are photographed, with photography ranges being varied gradually. The image identifying unit identifies a commodity and the position of that commodity based on the photographed images. The commodity map generator generates a commodity map from the photographed images, based on the commodity and commodity position identified by the image identifying unit. The commodity determination unit generates a commodity inspection map which represents differences between the commodity and commodity position shown in the commodity map and those shown in commodity layout plan information representing a commodity layout plan.