South Korea’s CU c-store operates alcohol vending machine

Through a regulatory sandbox that exempts regulations on new products or services for the quick development and demonstration of new technologies.

South Korea’s convenience store chain CU has started operating a vending machine for alcoholic drinks. The service has been made possible through a regulatory sandbox that exempts regulations on new solutions for the quick development and demonstration of innovative technologies, reports Aju Business Daily.

The introduction of vending machines for alcoholic beverages could pave the way for retailers to launch fully unmanned convenience stores serving such products too. According to Aju, there are some 600 unmanned c-stores in South Korea.

Unmanned sales of alcoholic drinks in South Korea is prohibited as there is no means to validate the consumer’s age via automatic payment systems.

Located at a resort facility in Goseong, northeast of Seoul, CU’s vending machine for alcoholic drinks can authenticate customers’ age using PASS, a smartphone identification app, or through credit card transactions, said in a statement BFG retail, CU’s operator.

CU is the industry leading 24/7 convenience store in Korea, with over 12,000 franchise stores.