Basingstoke 1 February 2010:A national survey of over 1200 teenagers by Clarity Commerce today revealed in spite of the UK Government’s recent efforts to launch ID cards for teenagers to combat the rise in underage drinking, smoking and knife crime, it is failing as kids continue to flout the law by tricking retailers into selling them products that are illegal to buy.  The survey revealed one in five UK teenagers have bought knives whilst under the legal age, with one in two admitting to buying alcohol, and over two thirds knowing a friend that has. The canny youth of today are getting round the ID scheme by using fake and false ID cards with 1 in 5 kids buying them over the Internet with the majority using them to get into clubs and pubs, followed by shops that will sell them alcohol, cigarettes and knives.

Cinemas (12per cent) and local tattoo studios (6 per cent) are also easy targets where kids are using their fake IDs to gain access and fool shop assistants into selling them what they know they are too young to buy. However, busy retailers who are being duped by underage teenagers would appear to be fighting a losing battle as the ID cards that children are presenting look genuine with a street value of just £10, resulting in the retailers being fined if caught by trading standards.  If false IDs bought over the Internet isn’t bad enough, 45 per cent of kids admit that they have asked a big sister or brother or friend to buy them alcohol with 78 per cent of over 18s admitting they have leant their IDs to underage kids to get into a club, 27% to get into a pub and 19% borrowing them to get into a cinema. Twenty percent have also leant their ID card to their underage friends or siblings so that they can buy alcohol with 16 per cent admitting they’ve given them out to help them purchase cigarettes. Michel de Beer who is responsible for the retail business across EMEA at Clarity Commerce said, “Whilst the Government’s efforts are well meant, the survey results show that ID schemes have had their day as they do not offer enough support and protection to businesses. ID cards on their own just do not work – kids are getting around them as they know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to fooling businesses and the general adult population. I certainly know my kids surprise me every once in a while.” In addition to the threat of fines for retailers who sell goods to teenagers using fake and false IDs in stores, parents would also appear to be either allowing or being duped or tricked by their children with 42 per cent of teens admitting that they have used their parent’s credit card to illegally buy alcohol, cigarettes or adult CDs or video games on the internet. The failure of ID schemes and threat of heavy fines has lead to UK retailers such as Tesco, Asda, Marks & Spencer and Morrisons to instruct staff to challenge customers who look like they're under 25 and haven't got appropriate ID to prove they're over 18, before selling them alcohol. However while this may offer protection from fines, it means retailers are losing revenue and sales from customers who are actually legally able to buy but are being turned away. The survey results come at a time when the UK Government is attempting to combat teenage crime with its Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) which was rolled out in London last week, however a major flaw in the scheme appears to be that only 4 per cent of respondents to Clarity’s survey would sign up to the scheme – with 71 per cent having never even heard of it. Although the results highlight the serious issues faced by UK retailers, pubs and clubs, businesses in Holland are winning the battle with under age teenagers looking to purchase products illegally in store. A two camera system which is integrated with Clarity Commerce point of sales technology at the check-out, alarms when a product is scanned that requires a proof of age verification. At this point the check-out cameras link straight into a call centre where trained staffed judge whether the youth who is actually purchasing the products is actually over the legal age requirement and will create a history log for reference purposes. Whilst this solution cannot guarantee the identification of fake or false IDs, it removes the stress and potential of fines for staff businesses, as they no longer have to make a decision on whether to serve the teenager and the prospect of losing their job or being fined. Michel de Beer concluded, “We have seen the positive impact that this solution has had in Holland and we believe that UK businesses - who are often criticised for illegally selling products to under age customers - would welcome the safety net that this solution offers. Whilst we understand that this solution cannot identify a fake ID, we’ve seen the benefits it delivers and are planning to introduce this technology in UK during the first quarter of 2010 and so contributing to the responsibility we all have in the society”         Notes to editors The survey was commissioned by Clarity Commerce and conducted by independent researchers who interviewed 1,200 16 – 18 year olds.   About Clarity Commerce   Clarity's software helps retail, leisure and entertainment companies to win and retain customers. It works by processing and tracking transactions more efficiently, solving problems such as long queues, slow customer service, lack of reliable information and poor co-ordination of sales channels.   Clarity brings fresh thinking to business problems by using its expertises from other sectors, giving businesses the tools they need to get more information from their customers, increase business control and boost profit.   Established in 1993, Clarity is headquartered in Basingstoke, UK and has 578 customers worldwide, including Reebok Sports Club, UGC Cinemas, Peel Hotels and Universal Studios Florida.   For further information, please visitwww.claritycommerce.com