Facial recognition to help supermarkets prove age
By Retail Technology | Wednesday October 17 2018
US and UK supermarkets will soon trial facial recognition technology for age verification when consumers look to buy age-restricted items
According to NCR, it is integrating its Yoti digital identity platform with its self-service checkout for a trial period in the coming months.
Customers verify their age by scanning their face using the self-checkout’s built-in camera and Yoti age detection technology determines whether the person is over or under the required age.
In addition, customers can also use the free Yoti app which combines their ID document and biometrics, to create a digital identity. To use this, the user simply scans a QR code on the self-checkout screen using the Yoti app and shares their verified age.
Positive step
Pierson Broome, retail expert at Hitachi Consulting, sees the move as a positive step as offline stores experiment with technology to compete with online counterparts.
He said: “Research from Hitachi Consulting found that over a third of senior decision makers in retail expect technology, such as till free shopping, facial recognition technology and geo-location technology, to be of the utmost importance in future flagship stores. Technologies, such as facial recognition, are only the beginning for offline stores. I expect to see an increasing use of such innovations to not only deliver a more personalised customer experience, but also to optimise costs and operations behind the scenes too.”
