A new solution to help stop underage vape sales in Ireland - AgeAI

A new solution to help stop underage vape sales in Ireland - AgeAI 

We are seeing significant progress in the UK with AgeAI, our automated and accurate facial age estimation solution. We've agreed a partnership with the action group Our Vape Advocacy to provide a version of AgeAI to its UK members. AgeAI has also recently received Primary Authority approval from Peterborough & Cambridgeshire Trading Standards, meaning it is endorsed for use by UK retailers. 

But underage vaping is not just a problem in the UK. In 2023, The Irish Times covered a study from Foróige Sligo (a safe place for young people to hang out), revealing that more than one-third of young people aged 13 to 16 currently vape. Almost one-quarter of 10 to 12-year-olds said they had tried vaping.

It’s a challenging situation for pureplay vape stores and general stores that stock vape products. How can they address the problem of selling to minors? Fortunately, help is on the way as part of our new partnership with Johnston Retail Services.

Automated, accurate and highly effective

Johnston Retail Services works with retailers across Ireland, helping to transform the industry through innovative solutions that maximize revenue, enhance customer experiences, and fortify the foundations of retail success. 

We recently agreed to a deal that will see Johnston Retail Services bring AgeAI to stores in Ireland. As a simple, accurate and highly efficient age estimation tool, it helps mitigate a potential source of conflict at checkout by reducing the need for unnecessary ID checks for adults. It also helps avoid the costly fines for selling vapes to children, so it's an ideal solution. 

Simple to install, no stress for customers

AgeAI requires minimal setup, and the team at Johnston Retail Services is on hand to help with any difficulties. Furthermore, it’s no burden to customers. People just look at a small screen which instantly notifies whether the customer appears to be above a certain age. 

If a positive indication is shown, checkout continues. If it is not, a request for identification can be made. Also, AgeAI is 100% anonymous, with no images transmitted or stored, and is GDPR certified. 

Part of the problem is that young people can look much older, and store employees are unsure whether to ask for ID or not, as it is a situation with the potential to cause conflict. Leaning on innovative technology can be a game-changer for retailers, according to Brian Hurley, Commercial Director at Johnston Retail Services:

“Ensuring your operation has a technology focus is now more important than ever. Those that adopt and embrace the technological solutions available tend to reap more success with a lot less effort than one may think.”

“Enforcement of age-restricted selling is no doubt going to become more and more prevalent. AgeAI is extremely simple, affordable and an indispensable tool that we are excited to be able to offer our customers to help with this legal selling requirement.”

For further information on AgeAI in Ireland, please contact Johnston Retail Services at sales@retailservices.ie. For more details on AgeAI generally, contact the team at Privately SA here.