Biometrics age confirmation service to be launched in vending machines

A biometrics age confirmation service is being prepared to launch in Russia. It will appear in vending machines in the summer, the office of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko told Izvestia.

Getting personal: Why biometrics were needed in popular apps

The new level of protection creates a risk of data leakage

"For vending machines, this service is the only opportunity to continue selling age—restricted goods," Ak Bars Bank, which participated in the development of the solution, said.

It will be possible to buy energy products in vending machines using biometric age verification, Dmitry Grigorenko's office clarified. Starting from March 1, 2025, they cannot be sold to minors. And this product accounted for a significant part of the profit, said Chaba Zentai, CEO of FitWend.

It is also planned that by the end of 2025, age verification using biometrics will appear at self-service cash desks (CSR) in retail chains, Dmitry Grigorenko's office clarified. They added: after that, the service can also be used to purchase any age-restricted goods, including alcohol and tobacco products.

Read more in the exclusive Izvestia article:

Face-to-face trading: vending machines will start confirming age using biometrics