A Russian Retailer Is Testing Online Sales of Energy Drinks With Biometric Age Verification

Supporting the law with technology

Russian retail group Magnit, which operates several nationwide grocery and convenience store chains, has introduced a new pilot feature: users can verify their age via biometrics directly inside the retailer’s mobile app. The service is currently limited to online orders of energy drinks, a product category that is legally permitted for e-commerce but requires strict age confirmation. According to the company, the digital solution is designed to improve compliance with legislation that bans the sale of non-alcoholic energy drinks to minors, while reducing friction in the purchasing process for adult customers.

How the system works

This is the first project of its kind in Russia. Magnit launched the pilot in partnership with the Center for Biometric Technologies, the operator of the country’s Unified Biometric System. The service is available to users who have either a standard or a verified biometric profile. Standard biometrics can be registered through the Gosuslugi Biometrics app using a new-generation passport with an NFC chip, while verified biometrics are enrolled at bank branches or via an on-site registration service.

When placing an order with biometric verification enabled, the user must consent to data processing and confirm their identity by looking into the smartphone camera. Upon delivery, the customer is required to bring their phone close to the courier’s device to confirm physical presence and then complete a second biometric check. At the current testing stage, the feature is available only to iOS users in Moscow, with deliveries limited to a small number of participating stores. Magnit plans to expand the service to Android devices and roll it out to additional regions.

Online sales of energy drinks are legally permitted, but verifying the buyer’s age has been a persistent challenge in this format. Magnit was the first retailer to launch biometric age verification for online purchases within its own app. In parallel, we are actively introducing biometric and digital technologies at self-checkout stations to ensure reliable age identification in physical stores. These solutions eliminate errors and subjective judgment, making the purchase of age-restricted products faster and easier for adult consumers

Vyacheslav Kubaev

Chief Digital Officer, Magnit Group

Streamlining retail operations

The launch of the service is significant for Russian retail for several reasons. It reinforces Magnit’s position as a leader in deploying digital innovation in consumer markets, deepens the digitalization of the customer experience, and reduces routine administrative tasks for store staff. In practical terms, it represents a step toward automating the sale of age-restricted products, minimizing human error and subjective judgment at the point of purchase.

If the pilot proves successful, the company may extend biometric age verification across its entire retail network and apply it to other regulated product categories, such as alcohol and tobacco. Integration with the Unified Biometric System and government digital services would make it possible to scale the model across multiple retail sectors. More broadly, the use of biometrics in everyday purchases could stimulate demand for digital ID solutions in Russia and serve as a reference case for other retailers, accelerating the overall digital transformation of the market.