An AI age verification app now has Primary Authority approval from Peterborough & Cambridgeshire Trading Standards.
AgeAI – a GDPR certified app – has achieved UK-wide compliance approval and is endorsed for use by retailers across the UK.
The app – which provides automated and accurate facial age estimation – received Primary Authority approval from Peterborough & Cambridgeshire Trading Standards late last year.
“Providing minors with age-appropriate user experiences was a major priority in 2024 and beyond,” said Mark Oliver, Business Hub Manager for Peterborough & Cambridgeshire Trading Standards.
“The AgeAI solution is a really good example of how technology can be adapted to meet the needs of businesses working in increasingly regulated and challenging retail environments.”
AgeAI is made by technology company Privately SA. A spokesman says its age estimations can accurately identify 18–20-year-olds with a 100% success rate as being under the age of 25.
It is currently widely used in vape stores where managers can automate age checks, support their field staff and avoid the costly fines that come from selling age-inappropriate products to minors.
The app supports staff by accurately estimating client age and reducing confrontation around ID checks, which can create friction in stores and impact workers in the long run.
“No responsible store owner wants to sell alcohol, vapes, cigarettes, fireworks or indeed any age-inappropriate products to a minor.
“The fines are significant, and persistent offenders can even be closed down,” said Deepak Tewari, CEO, Privately SA.
“Peterborough & Cambridgeshire Trading Standards’ approval of AgeAI is a great endorsement that this application is a great fit for retailers selling restricted items across the UK, enabling them to take active measures to demonstrate compliance.”
The spokesman adds that AgeAI has undergone rigorous testing, including EAL3 certification, and has been successfully deployed in Europe and the US. The app is GDPR (UK) certified and is already in use by almost 50 stores across the UK.
Privately SA developed AgeAI to automate age detection online/offline to protect children and give them age-appropriate experiences.
During the past year, Privately has carried out almost one million age check transactions in retail environments.
