Retailers will be able to accept digital proof of age to sell alcohol later this year, a chief of convenience store body has said, after the UK government announced this week that it will introduce digital driving licenses.
According to ACS chief executive James Lowman, convenience retailers can accept digital proof of age and from later this year they will be able to do this for alcohol as well.
Lowman represents ACS on the board of PASS, and has chaired working groups developing digital proof of age standards and acceptance systems over the past five years.
PASS is not-for-profit body formed in 2001 to set standards for proof of age, the security features of that proof of age and the process for accepting it.
Writing in his blog, Lowman informs retailers, "With a physical proof of age card, all the security features are there to inspect, notably the PASS hologram and thermally-integrated picture (no edges or bumps).
"It’s more complex with digital proof of age because what you could be shown on the screen could have been doctored in any number of ways; there needs to be a digital “handshake” between the retailer and the customer to verify its validity.
"Thankfully PASS now has a system ready to go to do exactly this job.
"Two quick scans and the proof of age can be verified with minimal data transfer – you only need to know if that person is old enough to buy the product they want, you don’t need to see their address much less get into the ramifications of holding customer information."
Lowman also pointed out how getting the use of digital proof of age right and combining it with effective use of age estimation technology would bring huge savings to retailers using self-service checkouts.
"Customers over 25 could breeze through without age checks, those under could prove their age to the till, with colleagues playing an oversight role," he wrote.
"Technology playing a greater role in determining customers’ age will reduce the number of times a colleague challenges a customer, something we know causes friction, conflict and even violence on a daily basis.
Digital proof of age, including a digital driving licence, offers real benefits for local shops.
"We need to stay at the centre of discussions on how this is used in stores so that we can fully realise these", stated Lowman.
Check ACS guidance for details on how to do this.
