Innovative Technology and Privately expanding in-store age estimation reach

Innovative Technology (ITL) has joined the National Retail Federation (NRF), an American retail trade association, after years of supporting its annual exhibition. The NRF has represented the retail industry for over a century and serves as a key platform for stakeholders within the sector.

As an Industry partner member of the NRF, Innovative Technology gains access to valuable resources, including research, industry data, branding opportunities, discounted sponsorship, and networking avenues as the company promotes its biometric age estimation technology for a global market.

Brian Bellerose, business development manager for ITL in North America, expresses enthusiasm about the membership, stating that it will enhance opportunities for connection and collaboration with leading retailers.

Bellerose emphasizes that joining the NRF will enable Innovative Technology to showcase its range of bill validation equipment and age and identity verification technology, which can benefit businesses from small convenience stores to large supermarket chains. The company is eager to demonstrate how its products can enhance customer service efficiency and improve operational reliability.

Innovative Technology will be presenting its latest innovations at booth 1606 during the NRF show, scheduled for January 12-14 next year at the Javits Convention Center in New York.

ITL brings facial age estimation to Vegas

Before then, the company is set to unveil its latest developments at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) taking place October 8-10 this year in Las Vegas. The company aims to enhance age verification processes to comply with increasing regulatory demands.

During the expo, ITL will showcase its facial age estimation technology, a system designed to help retailers and gaming operators meet legal requirements for age-restricted products. The system uses facial biometrics to estimate a customer’s age without storing personal data, ensuring privacy compliance while reducing the risk of human error in manual age checks.

As part of its broader efforts, ITL recently brought its biometric age-checking devices to the Netherlands. ITL’s hardware offers a tool to retailers and operators looking to avoid the fines associated with non-compliance. This comes at a time when regulators in the UK and across Europe are tightening the rules around the sale of tobacco, vape products, and other age-restricted goods.

Privately targets UK vape stores

Swiss company Privately SA sees growth potential for biometric age estimation in ITL’s backyard. It has partnered with vaping industry group Our Vape Advocacy (OVA) to offer its AI-powered app designed to automate age checks to independent vape stores in the UK, Retail Technology Innovation Hub reports. The AgeAI app allows smaller retailers to efficiently ensure compliance with local laws without needing costly infrastructure.

The FaceAssure technology Privately’s new app is based on has been certified for Challenge 25 compliance by the UKAS.

OVA is offering AgeAI to its member stores, of which 13 are mapped on the organization’s website. Further, it is also offering a free age estimation device from Privately when stores sign up for a 250 pound membership.

Meanwhile, biometric age verification is gaining attention in light of recent legislative developments in the UK. Under a new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, retailers face harsher penalties for selling to underage customers.

Article Topics

age estimation  |  biometrics  |  face biometrics  |  Innovative Technology  |  Privately  |  retail biometrics