PXL Vision for Brauerei Locher

A tick box is not proof of age

Prior to introducing PXL Age, age verification relied primarily on self-declaration at checkout – simple, but offering no proof that the person placing the order was actually of legal age. A standardised, automated process for age-restricted orders was missing. Yet the legal requirements are clear: in Switzerland, beer and wine cannot be sold to anyone under 16, and spirits to anyone under 18; in the canton of Ticino, an age limit of 18 applies across the board. Since the shop stocks both product categories, verification must reliably cover each one – and the responsibility lies squarely with the seller.

The catalyst was not a single incident, but rather a combination of rising regulatory expectations, the company’s own responsibility as an alcohol producer, and its commitment to enforcing youth protection credibly online. According to the company, mystery shopping tests and cantonal enforcement show that regulations are actively being monitored – Brauerei Locher wanted to act proactively rather than react to an official complaint. The solution needed to minimise checkout friction without creating any additional manual effort for the team.

PXL Age – integrated into the existing checkout

During the evaluation process, Brauerei Locher set clear must-have criteria: reliable verification, seamless mobile use without downloading an app, fast processing times, clean integration into the existing shop, full data protection compliance, multilingual support, a clear fallback process, and reasonable overall costs. What tipped the scales in favour of PXL Age was its combination of security and user-friendliness: the solution is browser-based, requires no app download, and verifies official ID documents automatically. Another key factor was that the solution comes from a Swiss provider, is compliant with Swiss FADP/EU GDPR, certified to ISO/IEC 27001, and easily integrated into existing e-commerce processes via an API.

The Brauerei Locher Shop is built on Contao. As soon as an order contains an alcoholic product, age verification is triggered: the customer uses their browser's camera to capture an official ID document, PXL Age verifies the details automatically, and the customer is then redirected back to the checkout for payment and completion. If verification fails, the customer can either try again or contact customer service. The integration effort remained manageable, requiring mainly close coordination between the in-house e-commerce team, the external shop partner and PXL Vision to test trigger logic, mobile devices, ID documents and edge cases.

A consistent, robust process across all brands

Today, a standardised, automated verification process is in place for all age-restricted orders across every brand and product category. The vast majority of customers accept the check when the reasoning behind it is communicated transparently. Support enquiries primarily involve isolated technical issues such as camera permissions, lighting conditions, or older browsers.

Qualitatively, the solution enhances Brauerei Locher’s profile as a responsible producer and retailer – building customer trust, relieving the team of case-by-case decisions, and offering scalable potential for the shop's future growth.

Youth protection as a process, not a plug-in

In physical stores, age checks continue to be carried out in person; Brauerei Locher will only explore expanding the system to other markets or channels where there is a clear need. Looking ahead, the brewery's main wishes for PXL Age are a straightforward migration to new e-commerce platforms and – provided it is legally and technically sound – a privacy-friendly method for recognizing previously verified customers.

Brauerei Locher offers a clear takeaway for other Swiss online retailers: age verification must not be viewed as an isolated mandatory plug-in. First, product range, age limits, trigger logic, and responsibilities must be clearly defined. The solution should then be tested in a real-world mobile checkout, with the entire funnel measured from the start. An effective solution balances robust protection of minors with minimal friction – supported by transparent customer communication and a documented fallback and support process.