More functions in our daily lives are going digital, yet the sale of age-restricted products—which account for about 40% of c-store transactions—still relies on manually checking physical identification cards at the register. The outmoded method isn’t doing any favors for retailers, manufacturers, or consumers—it has a high margin of error, raises privacy concerns among consumers who don’t want to reveal personal identifiable information, and exposes retailers to risks associated with ID validity, among other legal factors.

But digital age verification nonprofit TruAge Solutions says there’s a better way.

“We’re creating the safest, best way to protect retailers and providing the most convenient and privacy-minded method for consumers,” said Lisa Rountree, head of marketing and customer experience at TruAge. “The goal is for TruAge to be the universal form of age verification.”

By offering protections—and therefore peace of mind—for retailers and consumers, the system provides myriad benefits for all parties in the transaction. Here are three top-of-mind advantages.

  1. Safeguarding Stores and Suppliers

The primary impetus for TruAge is to protect the suppliers of age-restricted products and the store operators that sell them. With nearly half of the 54 million in-store transactions per day at c-stores including age-restricted items, the industry moves more age-restricted products than any other channel, Rountree noted. “It means that there are just more opportunities to make a mistake.”

With one scan, TruAge verifies that the consumers’ credentials are valid, confirms the customer is of age, and logs proof that the verification took place into the POS system. “Unlike with the traditional method, in which a cashier might not spot a fake ID, might do ‘birthday math’ wrong, or simply neglect to check for age in the first place, TruAge provides a layer of safeguarding to ensure the operator is compliant. At the same time, it makes it a lot more convenient to do so,” explained Rountree.

It’s “one more tool” to make sure retailers and their store cashiers are in compliance, said Brittany Wilchar, director of human resources for Lassus Brothers, which has implemented TruAge at dozens of its locations.

  1. More Privacy and Peace of Mind

TruAge is a more surefire method of age verification for store operators, and it’s less intrusive for shoppers, Rountree explained.

Using the “Verifiable Credential” standard, which was developed by the Department of Homeland Security, TruAge takes a customer’s government identification credentials and anonymizes the information into a digital token that can be scanned by a POS system. Whether through the TruAge app or through a scan of the physical card by POS systems that have it activated, the only data points about a customer that are transmitted in the transaction are whether a customer is old enough to buy the product or not—not their name, address, or other identifiable information they may not want to reveal.

“Privacy concerns have started to really ramp up for consumers,” Rountree said. “As a retailer, I don't need to know your name and address. I just need to know you’re old enough.”

  1. Bringing More Convenience to the Customer

Using a digital scan or phone app also comes with greater ease of use, Rountree said, noting that most consumers use digital wallets for a large bulk of transactions and already have their phones out at the register. “You’re catering to a generation of people who have grown up with technology. They don't carry around paper boarding passes. They don’t even really carry around credit cards; they almost never have their wallet and rarely have their ID,” Rountree said. “So naturally, they find [TruAge] to be faster, more secure, and more convenient for their lifestyle.”

Today is the last day to visit TruAge in Booth #C3285 at the NACS Show.

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