Asda is set to change the way that shoppers can purchase alcohol by trialling automated age verification's at self-service checkouts.
It will make them the first supermarket to trial the new service once it is officially rolled out in Asda stores in Pudsey and Stevenson from this week, reports Hull Live.
The British supermarket chain has said that the aim of the automated system is designed to make it "easier and quicker" for customers to purchase alcohol while at self-service checkouts.
That means, no more waiting around for a staff member to come over and check your ID, as there will be a camera in the self-checkout screen to accurately estimate a customer’s age.
The initiative - which will run until the end of May - will only be used for the purchase of alcohol and is part of a Home Office test that is trialling the assistance of the requirement for technologies when purchasing alcohol.
For it to work, shoppers only need to look at the camera when they are at the self-checkout to verify their age before they can complete their purchase.
If the system detects a customer looks younger than 25, they can prove their age through the Yoti and Post Office EasyID apps.
For customers who do not wish to use the automated verification checks, there will still be the option of showing their ID to a member of staff.
The trial is in partnership with checkout technology leaders NCR and digital identity network, Yoti, which allows people to pass an age threshold in seconds without the need for an ID document or human intervention, providing customers with a much quicker and seamless shopping experience when buying alcohol at Asda’s self-checkouts.
Geri Hebberd, Senior Director of Retail Innovation at Asda, said: “We know how time pressed some of our customers are, so we always want to make things quicker and easier for them when they shop with us.
We are excited to be the first retailer in the UK to test this new technology and are looking forward to seeing what our customers think of the trial.
The use of this software will enable colleagues to focus on serving customers and make sure they have an excellent experience whilst in store.”
Robin Tombs, CEO of Yoti said: “Waiting for age approval at the self-checkout is sometimes frustrating for shoppers, but Asda customers in Pudsey and Stevenage will now be able to prove their age in seconds without the wait using Yoti Facial Age Estimation or the free Yoti ID app.
This in turn will enable Asda colleagues to focus on the most important part of their job – serving customers.
Our age verification solutions are helping retailers like Asda meet the requirements of regulators worldwide and keep pace with consumer demands for fast and convenient services, while preserving people’s privacy.”
The new initiative is the latest digital software technology that the supermarket is trialling as they will be launching a trial early next month that will allow colleagues in four stores to test payments via the mobile Scan and Go app.
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