UK Retailer Introduces Facial Recognition Technology To Verify Age Of E-cigarette Buyers
Leave a message
In an effort to prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, retailers in the UK are turning to facial recognition technology to verify the age of purchasers. The innovative technology, MyCheckr, by Innovative Technology, has already passed testing by the UK government and retail chains. Chris Wright, the business development manager for Innovative Technology, explained that if a purchaser looks underage, the device will display a red light to prompt manual age verification. The legal age to purchase e-cigarettes in the UK is 18, with a potential fine of £2,500 for selling them to minors.
One convenience store in Southampton, Bestway Retail, has already installed the software and hardware for facial recognition. The prevalence of students in Southampton makes the age verification tool especially useful.
A report by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) found that identity verification checks could potentially lead to violence. For this reason, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) hopes to grant stores the legal authority to carry out facial recognition identity checks during sales.
However, not all retailers are convinced about the effectiveness of facial recognition technology. In Denmark, Bilka supermarket stopped using facial recognition age verification devices at self-checkout kiosks in March 2021, after a survey showed that 70% of respondents switched to buying e-cigarettes from corner shops and convenience stores.
While facial recognition technology may not be perfect, it does demonstrate the lengths that retailers are willing to go to ensure compliance with age restrictions and prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. On the other hand, concerns remain about the potential for false positives, privacy violations, and concerns over excessive surveillance. As the technology continues to advance, it will be interesting to see how businesses strike a balance between addressing legal requirements and respecting privacy concerns.
