Former Managing Director of Booker and Matthew Clark joins leading identity and age verification provider to support its ambitious plans in the pub trade and hospitality sector

Mark Aylwin, the former Managing Director of on-trade wholesaler Matthew Clark and of Booker, the UK's largest wholesaler to pubs, off licences, restaurants and independent retailers, has been appointed to a special advisory board of 1account, a leading technology provider to online vendors of age restricted products and services.

Following 1account’s significant success in providing age verification technology to the vaping and gambling sectors, Aylwin will help drive the continued roll out of the company’s online technology and help businesses in the pub trade and hospitality sector to make the transition to accepting the company’s new consumer digital ID app, 1account ID, for their online and offline commerce.

The company's suite of products helps the drinks, brewery and hospitality sector prevent unlawful access to alcohol, online and in pubs, bars and restaurants within the UK and internationally, aligning with the British Government's strategy to build a Digital Identity Trust Framework.

The new consumer digital ID app will complement the company’s existing online verification technology which cross references consumers’ purchasing information against data sources that enable it to validate its authenticity, such as a user’s mobile phone network.

1account’s online validation platform uses more data sources than other providers and as a result it has seen validation success ratios exceed 95%, rapidly expanding the company’s reputation across a range of age restricted sectors, such as vaping and gambling.

Through its online verification process, the company is fast growing the numbers of consumers signing up to its consumer digital ID solution. The app means consumers won’t need to have their details & personal data checked every time they visit an online retail site selling alcoholic drinks that requires age verification, or in a pub or other hospitality establishment to prove age or identity.

Aylwin is joined on the advisory board by high profile figureheads in other industries which offer age-restricted products. They include:

• Ralph Topping, the former chief executive of bookmakers William Hill and current chairman of Superbet, the sports betting and gambling group

• Simon Bazalgette, former CEO of the Jockey Club, which own the biggest 15 racehorse venues in the UK and independent director at the English Football League

• and Murray Perkins former Policy Director at the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)

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The technology comes at a time when research shows consumption of age restricted products, such as alcoholic drinks, is still a significant issue amongst under 18 year olds. A study published last year by NHS Digital revealed that 70% of 15 year olds admitted that they had consumed an alcoholic drink. Over a fifth of this age group (22%) reported having been drunk in the last four weeks, with 26% indicating that they had purchased alcoholic beverages from retailer or licensed premises.

Says Aylwin: “The continued rollout of online age verification combined with the creation of a digital ID for the purchase of age restricted alcoholic drinks online and offline represents a major step forward and will enable the drinks retail, brewery and hospitality sector to take the most proactive stance possible in preventing under-age sales. 1account can offer the sector a solution both online and offline that enables compliance for now and the future.

“We also live in an era where young adults are used to convenience and using digital technologies to access documents. Therefore a consumer digital ID, which will be available in the palm of their hands through their smartphone when purchasing restricted products will be incredibly convenient for this demographic to prove in real time who they are, wherever they are.”

“I am looking forward to helping the pub trade, hospitality sector and drinks retailers across the board to adopt the consumer digital ID and age verification technology so that they can benefit from faster transactions and enhance their customer experience, but most importantly introduce the most robust protection on the market against under-age sales.”

Ben Keirle, Chief Executive of 1account, commented: “Age verification is at the heart of our current operations but we are seeing unprecedented demand for our digital ID product that will play a part in everyday lives in the very near future. In creating this solution, which complements our existing services and provides added protection to minors and vulnerable groups, we are now in a position to help the alcoholic drinks sector and their customers to make the transition to a truly digitised environment in the future for the purchase of age restricted products.”

Added Keirle: “We are delighted to have the experience and knowledge of Mark who has been a leader in the retail and drinks sector for a long time. His appointment alongside our other highly experienced and high profile board members will be crucial to our ambition of becoming the dominant player in age and identity verification for age restricted products in the retail market.

“Our digital ID customer base is growing all the time. We have the investment and strategy that will see millions of adults registered for our 1account ID solution by the end of the year, making it an extremely useful proposition for any business providing age restricted products and services. This includes the alcoholic drinks sector, which wants to be seen as doing the right thing, whilst at the same time enhancing the purchasing experience of customers.”

1account is introducing its own one-click payment solution for vendors of age-restricted products and services addressing customers’ concerns in sharing personal data on such platforms in order to make a purchase.

Editors Notes

1account is the leading specialist in the development of digital ID and age verification technologies for age restricted products purchased online and offline.

Currently supporting the online operations of prominent businesses in such sectors as vaping and gambling, 1account has established a strong reputation for delivering age verification success rates of up to 95% which is helping to maximise sales conversions and ensure businesses are fully compliant with all regulatory requirements. The company is continuously developing its technologies as part of its ambitious plans to roll out its digital ID and verification technologies across physical environments including betting shops, sporting stadia, casinos, supermarkets, convenience stores, pubs, specialist vape outlets, cinemas and night clubs. Its ultimate mission is to make selling age restricted products to minors history.

In addition, 1account is introducing its own payment solution for age-restricted websites to address customers’ concerns in sharing personal data on such platforms in order to make a purchase.

1account age and identity validation is free of charge to all approved age restricted businesses and consumers, in order to boost compliance amongst the verticals it serves. The company’s key target markets are vaping, alcoholic drinks, gambling and adult entertainment and content.