Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Government invites retailers to trial new age verification technology

The government has urged on and off licenced retailers, bars and restaurants to put forward proposals to trial new technology when carrying out age verification checks.

The call for proposals has been launched by the Home Office and the Office for Product Safety and Standards, and retailers who are successful will be able to pilot new technology to improve the process of ID check during the sale of alcohol and other age restricted items.


“Having a robust age verification system is absolutely critical in preventing the sale of alcohol to children and the harm under-age drinking causes,” Home Office minister Baroness Williams of Trafford said.

“These pilots will allow us to explore how new technology can improve the experience of buying and selling alcohol, both for the consumer and the retailer.”

Applicants can suggest products to trial within their proposals, but the Home Office said that the technology that may potentially be tested include a holographic or ultraviolet identification feature on a mobile phone.

Retailers will be able to submit applications online on GOV.UK and will be required to provide detail on how the technology works and how they plan to test it.

The government said the pilots will allow a wide range of digital age verification technology to be tested, and the findings will be used to understand the impact of this technology and inform future policy, as part of the government’s ambition to create an innovative digital economy.

Currently, it is not possible to use a digital ID as proof of age for the purchase of alcohol in England and Wales.

However, retailers will still be required to carry out physical age verification checks alongside any digital technology in line with the current law, which requires a physical identification card with a holographic mark or ultraviolet feature upon request in the sale of alcohol.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards will be hosting a series of webinars over the next two months to assist members of the industry in drafting their proposals.

Trials by successful applicants will begin in the summer and must be completed by April 2022. Submissions close on 31 May and successful applicants be notified by 2 July.

More for you

David Murray promoted as pladis CMO, Mete Buyurgan takes UK & Ireland helm

Mete Buyurgan (L) and David Murray

David Murray named pladis CMO

Snacking giant pladis has announced David Murray, currently leader of its UK and Ireland enterprise, will transition to the newly created position of global chief commercial officer.

After five years at the helm of pladis UK&I, Murray’s new role will see him take ownership of the company’s global platform and brand strategy along with its commercial transformation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Illegal cigarettes in Meir

Illegal cigarettes

iStock

Thousands of illegal cigarettes seized from Meir shop raids

More than £20,000 worth of illicit tobacco and vapes were seized from multiple premises in an one-day operation in Meir by Trading Standards team along with officers from Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police.

The operation is the latest across the city that resulted in 13 shops being closed in the last 12 months, and forms part of Operation Cece, which is a National Trading Standards initiative in Partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Don Julio Tequila

Don Julio Tequila, owned by Diageo. The spirits giant sells billions of dollars worth of tequila and Canadian whisky in the US.

Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Flipper's Boogie Palace

Diageo suggests tougher rules of origin requirements as alternative to Trump’s tariffs

Spirits giant Diageo has suggested the US government consider tougher rules of origin requirements in trade agreements as an alternative to tariffs, a letter to the US Trade Representative showed.

In the March 11 letter, Diageo, the world's top spirits maker caught in the crossfire of US president Donald Trump's effort to remake global trade, argued that new rules of origin could support his aims and benefit the industry.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asda store with Rollback pricing sign for 2024 sales strategy

Asda Express stores offset sales dip at the supermarket

Asda's profits climb despite sales decline, driven by George and Express

Asda on Friday reported a decline in its annual sales for the 2024 financial year, but the retailer has seen profits rising on margin gains.

The supermarket chain said its total revenue for the year to 31 December 2024 declined by 0.8 per cent to £21.7 billion, while like-for-like sales (excluding fuel) were lower by 3.4 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Strategic Ranging of Premium Apple Cider Essential for 2025 Sales

Henry Westons Vintage 500ml is the number one cider SKU in the convenience channel

Crafted cider surge: Retailers urged to embrace premiumisation for sales boost

The unstoppable rise of crafted apple cider is setting the benchmark for success in the UK’s £1.1 billion off-trade cider market, according to the latest Westons Cider Report.

The leading cider producer advises that convenience retailers who prioritise premium products and strategic ranging will be best placed to drive sales in 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less