News story

Call for trials of age-verification technology in alcohol sales

Proposals sought for testing innovative technology in live settings

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The Home Office and the Office for Product Safety and Standards have issued a call for proposals from technology providers to run trials of innovative age-assurance solutions regarding the retail sale of alcohol.

They are providing a ‘regulatory sandbox’ - a way to support experimentation and testing of innovative technology in live environments.

It will enable industry and retail to test innovative approaches to age verification, such as digital ID and other products with age assurance attributes, in the specific context of the sale of alcohol under the Licensing Act 2003.

The government has now published the first working version of the digital ID and attributes trust framework. As this framework develops, the trials will contribute to this work by testing the practical use of age verification technology in real world situations and building our understanding of the implications.

A number of sessions have been set up to provide opportunities to discuss the sandbox and application process.

Information: there are more details about the sandbox and guidance for responsible authorities on GOV.UK

Click on the links to sign up to the appropriate session(s) through Eventrbrite.

Introduction to the call for proposals, 30 March

Introduction to the call for proposals, 7 April

Guidance for Applicants, 15 April

Guidance for Applicants, 29 April

Guidance for Responsible Authorities, 15 April

Guidance for Responsible Authorities, 29 April

You can submit a proposal up until 4pm on 30 May 2021.

Updates to this page

Published 18 March 2021