Implementing Yoti Age Verification System at Vapeaholic

At Vapeaholic, we have a deep-seated commitment to responsibility and community safety. As a leading name in the vaping industry, Vapeaholic isn’t just about offering the latest and greatest in vaping technology; we’re about creating a sustainable, ethical, and legally compliant environment for adults who enjoy vaping.

In the landscape of retail, particularly within industries dealing with age-restricted products like vaping, the challenge of preventing underage sales has always been significant. Recent surveys and reports highlight a concerning trend in underage vaping, which not only poses a threat to youth but also casts a shadow on the vaping industry. We must ensure that our products do not find their way into the hands of minors, thereby protecting them from potential harm and supporting the longevity of our industry.

To enhance our efforts and ensure compliance with UK law, Vapeaholic is proud to announce the upcoming implementation of the Yoti age verification system across all our retail channels. Yoti is at the forefront of digital identification and age verification technology, providing a seamless and secure way to verify customer age without needing physical ID cards. This move is about more than just adhering to legal standards.

The importance of implementing such advanced verification technology cannot be overstated. With Yoti, we aim not only to meet but exceed the requirements of age verification protocols, ensuring that our products are sold responsibly and ethically. This system will benefit our customers by maintaining their privacy and speeding up the transaction process, all while keeping our business on the right side of the law.

This blog will explore why we chose the Yoti system, how it integrates into our operations, and what this means for you, our valued customer. We will explore the system’s technical capabilities, advantages over traditional methods, and how it aligns with our broader goals under the Vape Advocacy manifesto.

The Need for Age Verification in Vape Shops

Overview of the Underage Vaping Problem in the UK

Vaping has surged in popularity across all demographics in the UK, particularly since the emergence of ‘disposable vapes’. With this growth, we have seen increasing incidents of underage vaping. Recent data suggests a concerning trend among teens, with a notable percentage experimenting with e-cigarettes. This not only poses serious health risks but also threatens the integrity and acceptance of the vaping industry as a legitimate activity intended solely for adults. Vape shops like Vapeaholic must ensure that these products do not fall into the wrong hands, which brings us to the critical role of effective age verification systems.

Current Laws and Regulations Surrounding the Sale of Age-Restricted Items Like Vapes

In the UK, the law is clear: selling vaping products to individuals under the age of 18 is illegal. Compliance with this regulation is monitored and enforced rigorously, with potential fines and sanctions for retailers who fail to adhere. The legal framework not only requires that retailers check IDs but also mandates that they take reasonable steps to verify the age of purchasers. This is part of a broader legislative effort to curb access to various age-restricted goods, aiming to protect young people from early exposure to substances that could harm their health.

Limitations of Traditional Age Verification Methods

Traditional age verification methods, such as the widely adopted Challenge 25 policy, require staff to ask for a photographic ID from any customer who looks under 25 before purchasing age-restricted products. While effective in many cases, these manual checks have limitations:

Subjectivity: Judgments about a customer’s age can be highly subjective and inconsistent.

Forgery Risks: Physical IDs can be forged or borrowed, making it difficult for staff to verify authenticity accurately.

Operational Delays: Manual checks can slow down transactions, leading to longer lines and reduced customer satisfaction.

Compliance Consistency: Ensuring consistent compliance across all staff and during all operating hours can be challenging, especially in high-traffic stores.

Considering these challenges, there is a compelling need for a more robust, reliable, and efficient solution. Technologies like Yoti offer digital age verification that addresses these gaps effectively. By using advanced algorithms and biometric data, digital systems reduce human error, minimise the possibility of deceit, and streamline the purchasing process, all while enhancing compliance with legal age restrictions. For Vapeaholic, adopting Yoti’s system is not just about following the law—it’s about leading by example in the commitment to responsible retailing and community safety.

Introducing Yoti: A Modern Solution

What is Yoti and How Does it Work?

Yoti is a cutting-edge digital identity system that provides a secure, efficient, and user-friendly way to verify a person’s age without needing physical identification documents. At its core, Yoti utilises sophisticated technology involving digital credentials linked to a user’s biometric data, typically through a smartphone app. When customers need to verify their age, they can use the Yoti app to share their age attributes with the retailer. The app confirms the information against secure, encrypted data tied to their biometric profile—such as a facial scan used during the initial setup of their Yoti profile.

The process works as follows:

1. Setup: Customers download the Yoti app and create their profile, uploading their government-issued ID and capturing a facial scan to verify their identity against the ID.
2. Verification at Point of Sale: To make a purchase, the customer either scans a QR code provided by the retailer or presents a digital ID card within the app. The app confirms the customer’s age, and the retailer receives a verification result without seeing any personal data beyond what’s necessary (i.e., the age confirmation, not the birthdate or other details).
3. Confirmation: The transaction proceeds if the age verification confirms the customer meets the minimum age requirement.

Benefits of Using Yoti Over Traditional ID Checks

• Speed: Yoti streamlines the age verification process, allowing transactions to occur more swiftly than manually checking an ID. This speed enhances customer experience by reducing wait times.
• Accuracy: Leveraging biometric data reduces the risk of human error and deceit. Yoti’s technology minimises the chance of underage sales by ensuring that the age verification is based on verified personal data.
• Non-Intrusiveness: Yoti respects customer privacy by limiting the data shared. Retailers receive only the information necessary to comply with legal requirements (i.e., confirmation of age eligibility) without access to full ID details. This approach aligns with data protection regulations and builds trust with customers.

Yoti in Other Retail Environments

Yoti’s versatility extends beyond vape shops. Supermarkets, for instance, are adopting Yoti, or similar, for self-checkout systems to manage sales of age-restricted items like alcohol and tobacco. When customers use self-service lanes, they can verify their age through Yoti instead of waiting for a staff member to approve their purchase manually. This expedites the checkout process and ensures consistency and reliability in age verification across a broad range of consumer interactions.

The adoption of Yoti by major retail chains underscores its effectiveness and reliability, further validating Vapeaholic’s decision to integrate this technology into our operations.

Why Vapeaholic Chose Yoti

Alignment with the Vape Advocacy Manifesto

The decision to implement the Yoti age verification system at Vapeaholic is deeply rooted in our commitment to the principles laid out in the Vape Advocacy manifesto. This manifesto emphasises the importance of adhering to regulations and promoting ethical practices and advocates for proactive measures to ensure the safety and integrity of the vaping community. Yoti’s advanced technology helps us uphold these principles by providing a foolproof system that prevents underage sales and maintains the trust of our customers and the community.

Specific Benefits for Vapeaholic

One of the standout features of the Yoti system is its flexibility, which allows us to tailor age verification processes better to suit our customer base and local community standards. For example, while the legal age for purchasing vaping products is 18, Vapeaholic can implement a Challenge 23 or 25 policy using Yoti to ensure an extra layer of caution. This flexibility is particularly advantageous in areas where the demographic might include a significant number of young adults, helping to prevent any accidental sales to underage individuals who might appear older than they are.

Moreover, Yoti enhances the efficiency of the transaction process at our shops. Its quick and easy verification means shorter lines and less waiting, improving the overall customer experience. This technology also reduces the burden on our staff, who no longer need to make subjective judgments about a customer’s age, thus minimising human error and the potential for conflict at the point of sale.

Expected Impact on Reducing Underage Vaping Through Effective Age Verification

Implementing systems like Yoti is expected to reduce underage vaping significantly. By ensuring that only eligible adults can purchase vaping products, we can directly address one of the primary routes through which minors obtain these items. Effective age verification acts as a powerful deterrent, not only by preventing underage sales but also by signalling to young potential consumers that vaping products are strictly regulated for adult use only.

Furthermore, adopting Yoti sends a solid message to the industry and regulatory bodies that Vapeaholic is a leader in responsible retailing. It shows that we are willing to invest in the best available technologies to ensure compliance and safety, thereby setting a standard that could inspire similar actions across the industry. This proactive approach helps curb underage vaping and supports the long-term sustainability of the vaping sector by aligning it with societal and regulatory expectations.

Implementation at Vapeaholic

Steps Involved in Installing the Yoti System at Vapeaholic

Implementing the Yoti age verification system at Vapeaholic involves several strategic steps to ensure a smooth transition and optimal integration with our current operations:

1. Technical Setup: The first step involves installing the necessary hardware and software across our retail locations. This includes setting up digital scanning devices and integrating Yoti’s software with our existing sales and inventory systems. Our IT team will work closely with Yoti technicians to ensure all systems are compatible and function seamlessly.
2. System Testing: Before going live, we will thoroughly test the Yoti system to identify and resolve any technical issues. This phase is crucial to ensure that the age verification process is accurate and efficient and interacts flawlessly with our point-of-sale systems.
3. Operational Integration: Once testing is complete, the Yoti system will fully integrate into our daily operations. This involves configuring the system to reflect our specific age verification policies, such as setting up a Challenge 23 or 25 protocol where applicable.

How the System Will Be Integrated into Daily Operations

Integration of the Yoti system into daily operations at Vapeaholic is designed to be as seamless as possible:

• Point of Sale Integration: Yoti will be integrated directly into our POS systems, enabling instant age verification at the time of purchase. When customers select an age-restricted product, the system will prompt them to verify their age using the Yoti app.
• Automatic Compliance Checks: The system will automatically record each age verification attempt and outcome, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and enabling easy access to records for auditing purposes.

• Minimal Disruption: Designed to be fast and user-friendly, the Yoti system minimises disruption to the shopping experience, maintaining the efficiency of customer transactions even during peak times.

Employee Training and Customer Education about the New System

Successful implementation of Yoti not only depends on the technology itself but also on how well our staff and customers understand and adopt the new system:

• Employee Training: All our employees will receive comprehensive training sessions. These sessions will cover how the Yoti system works, how to assist customers in using it, and how to handle any issues that might arise. Training will also emphasise the importance of this new system in preventing underage vaping and maintaining compliance with legal age restrictions.
• Customer Education: We will launch an extensive customer education campaign to introduce our patrons to Yoti. This will include informational posters in-store, updates on our website, and social media posts explaining the system’s benefits and usage. We’ll also provide a quick guide on downloading and setting up the Yoti app, which aims to ensure that our customers are ready and able to use the system from day one.
• Feedback Mechanism: After implementation, we will establish a feedback mechanism to gather customer and employee insights on the system’s performance. This feedback will be invaluable in making any necessary adjustments and improvements.

By carefully planning and executing these steps, Vapeaholic aims to enhance its commitment to responsible retailing. By ensuring that only eligible adult customers can purchase vaping products, Vapeaholic seeks to set a standard for compliance and responsibility in the vaping industry.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Responsible Vaping

Vapeaholic’s Role in Setting Industry Standards for Responsible Practices

Vapeaholic has always been committed to leading by example in the vaping industry. With the implementation of the Yoti age verification system, we are taking a significant step forward in demonstrating how businesses can integrate advanced technology to ensure ethical compliance and protect the community. Our proactive approach enhances our operational integrity and serves as a benchmark for responsible practices within the industry. By adopting Yoti, Vapeaholic is setting new standards for accountability and customer safety, reinforcing the idea that responsible business practices are beneficial and essential for the sustained growth of the vaping sector.

How Technology Like Yoti Can Help the Entire Vaping Industry Combat Underage Vaping

The challenge of underage vaping requires innovative solutions and collective efforts. Technology like Yoti offers a powerful tool for the industry, providing a reliable method to enforce age restrictions efficiently and accurately. By automating age verification, Yoti minimises human error and the potential for intentional non-compliance, ensuring that only qualified buyers can purchase age-restricted products. This system helps maintain legal compliance and boosts consumer confidence in the industry’s commitment to responsible selling.

Beyond individual retailers, widespread adoption of such technology could transform the entire landscape of the vaping industry.

It could lead to universally higher standards of compliance, reducing the incidents of underage vaping and mitigating the associated health and legal risks. Furthermore, it could foster a more positive public perception of vaping as a regulated and responsible activity, exclusively for adults, thus securing the industry’s future and social acceptance.

As we conclude our exploration of the new Yoti age verification system (soon to be installed) at Vapeaholic, it’s clear that our steps are both necessary and forward-thinking. The importance of stringent age verification processes in the vaping industry cannot be overstated, particularly given the ongoing concerns around underage vaping. By implementing a state-of-the-art system like Yoti, Vapeaholic is adhering to legal requirements and elevating the standards of responsible retailing within the industry.

Our decision to integrate Yoti’s advanced technology reflects our commitment to ensuring that our products are sold responsibly and ethically, safeguarding our customers and the community. This proactive approach is a core aspect of our ethos, as outlined in the Vape Advocacy manifesto, which champions adopting practices that enhance the integrity and sustainability of the vaping industry.

We understand that adapting to new technologies and processes can raise questions and feedback, which we wholeheartedly welcome. We encourage our community to engage with us, share their experiences, and discuss how these changes affect their shopping experience. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us refine and improve our services, ensuring that we continue to meet your needs and expectations effectively.

 Call to Action

Once the Yoti system is installed, we invite all our customers and community members to visit Vapeaholic and see the Yoti age verification system in action. Experience firsthand how this technology enhances our operations’ safety and efficiency. Your insights and observations will help us continue to innovate and lead in responsible retailing.

For those interested in learning more about the technologies and policies that are shaping the future of the vaping industry, we offer more information on the links below:

• Discover Yoti’s age verification technology, features, and benefits on its official website.
• Explore the Vape Advocacy Manifesto to understand more about our commitment to responsible practices and how you can support these initiatives.

Together, we can ensure that vaping remains a safe, enjoyable, and responsible activity for adults. Join us at Vapeaholic, where innovation meets responsibility and helps us shape the future of vaping.