UK convenience store industry group approves Yoti biometric age verification

Yoti has been approved as a digital ID for age-restricted purchases such as energy drinks, lottery tickets, and tobacco products by the UK’s Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), making it the first smartphone digital ID app recognized for the purpose, according to the announcement. Alcohol sales are not included, as they are covered by different rules.

The company plans to soon introduce its Yoti Age Check static QR code cards to convenience stores, tobacconists, gas stations, video arcades, tanning salons and tattoo studios across the UK. The QR code cards enable customers to prove their age by scanning the code from a pack of cards or a countertop-mounted stand with the Yoti app. The customer confirms with the app that he or she is sharing their age with the retailer, and the retailer can require the user to take an additional selfie to prove they are the registered account holder.

The customer’s smartphone then displays the age threshold confirmation, along with a photo, and an anti-spoofing symbol found on the back of the retailer’s card, to ensure the confirmation screen is real.

Yoti partnered with FaceTec in March for biometric authentication with liveness detection, and recently endorsed the Biometrics Institute’s seven ethical principles for biometrics.

Article Topics

age verification  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  mobile app  |  UK  |  Yoti