The new system, which requires zero hardware, addresses one of the biggest sources of friction in self-checkout: the need for store associates to manually intervene age-restricted products.
When a shopper scans a restricted item at self-checkout, the kiosk displays a QR code. The shopper scans the code with their smartphone, which opens a verification page in the browser. The customer then takes a quick selfie, and on-device vision AI estimates their age instantly. If the estimate is above the retailer’s threshold, the checkout continues automatically. If the estimate falls below the threshold, the customer is prompted to scan an ID, which is read on-device and compared against the selfie photo to help detect underage customers attempting to use someone else’s ID. The kiosk then receives a single pass or fail signal.
Scandit claimed that 80% of age checks made through the system were resolved automatically in seconds – removing the need for associate intervention, adding that the verification process was six times faster for the customer. The firm claimed that the streamlined checks resulted in 5% more transactions across a retailer’s full self-checkout fleet, leading to shorter queues and increased sales – especially during peak hours.
“By turning a customer’s smartphone into a private, secure, instant age-check tool, the solution allows shoppers to verify their age in under 10 seconds with no app download required, primarily via face estimation technology or scanning their ID as an alternative,” said the company.
Powered by Scandit Smart Data Capture with vision AI, the solution marks Scandit’s first entry into biometrics and has been designed with privacy at its core. With 100% on-device processing, no biometric or ID data is transmitted or stored by Scandit or retailers. It also complies with key standards, including GDPR and UKAS Challenge 25 certification.
In addition to helping retailers avoid the cost and maintenance burden of hardware-based alternatives, it helps them improve operations in three key areas:
- Fraud prevention: The photo-comparison technology catches underage ID fraud that card-reader solutions cannot and associates may not, including underage customers using someone else’s ID.
- Labour optimisation: Automation frees store associates from routine age checks and uncomfortable situations, while allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks.
- Revenue lift: The always-available solution keeps self-checkout lanes moving leading to increased sales.
“Retailers are under pressure to deliver faster, more convenient self-checkout experiences, yet age-restricted sales remain a persistent bottleneck and one that only intensifies as self-checkout fleets scale,” said Christian Floerkemeier, CTO and Co-founder of Scandit. “Today, retailers are forced to choose between absorbing the ongoing labour cost of manual checks or investing in proprietary hardware, neither of which scales efficiently. Age Verified Self-Checkout removes this trade-off by automating compliance in a fast, secure and hardware-free way, which reduces intervention and optimizes labour.”
