TECHNOLOGY that estimates customers’ ages to check if they are old enough to buy vapes, cigarettes or alcohol is being trialled in ten Co-op stores.
The initiative aims to prevent underage sales while also allowing adults to buy age-restricted products without needing to show ID or wait for staff assistance.
Customers take a photo of themselves on an in-store tablet, which estimates their age without storing or sharing any personal information.
If the system determines the customer appears over the legal threshold – set at 20 for the Jersey trial – the sale can go ahead. If not, a staff member will check their ID.
The initiative, launched at Grand Marché in St Helier yesterday, is part of a partnership between the Channel Islands Co-op, British American Tobacco and digital identity company Yoti.
The system is already being used in more than 600 stores across Europe, with early results showing a 99% accuracy rate in identifying underage customers.
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