Yoti has announced partnerships with technology providers including Diebold Nixdorf, Flooid, StrongPoint, Kestronics and Zebra Technologies to help UK supermarkets, retailers and hospitality businesses introduce digital age checks for alcohol sales.

The tie-up follows a change to the Mandatory Licensing Conditions under the Licensing Act 2003, which previously required physical security features such as a hologram for age verification, now allowing certified digital IDs as an additional option rather than a replacement.

Digital proof of age must be provided through a service certified against the UK government's Digital Verification Services Trust Framework, following a 2024 consultation in which 72% of respondents supported the use of digital ID for age verification when buying alcohol. Diebold Nixdorf, Flooid, StrongPoint, Kestronics and Zebra Technologies provide point of sale and self-checkout technology to UK supermarkets, retail and hospitality businesses, and will integrate digital ID checks into their existing systems through the partnership.

For smaller independent retailers and licensed premises, Yoti offers a free ID Checker mobile and web app alongside a partnership with Licensing Connect, allowing staff to check that a customer's digital proof of age is authentic and valid; more than 15,000 businesses downloaded the app ahead of the law change.

Robin Tombs, CEO at Yoti, said: "The change in law to allow digital IDs for alcohol sales is a landmark moment for digital identity in the UK. We've been working towards this moment since Yoti was founded in 2014." Alex Eveleigh, SVP StrongPoint UK and Ireland, added: "The legislative change opens the door to smarter checkout, frictionless unattended collection and enhanced payment experiences that make age verification faster, simpler and more convenient for customers and colleagues both in-store and online."

The structural driver is the shift from physical-only age verification toward certified digital identity infrastructure, which lets point of sale vendors compete on integration speed and customer experience rather than compliance workarounds.

For the sector, this signals a broader move toward standardised, government-certified digital identity frameworks becoming embedded infrastructure across retail and hospitality point of sale systems, rather than remaining a niche verification tool for isolated use cases.

Source: edtechinnovationhub.com / computerweekly.com / talkingretail.com