Eye-Openers on Tobacco Compliance from the 2025 Age Verification Study

Walk into any convenience store today and you’ll still find tobacco products front and center. And for now, that makes sense.

Recent data by NACS Magazine shows that cigarettes and other tobacco products made up 34% of inside sales at U.S. convenience stores, with cigarettes alone contributing over 24% of that figure.

But here’s the part the industry can’t ignore:

Cigarette volumes are actually declining. According to CSP Daily News, major tobacco manufacturers saw a drop in volume in the final quarter of 2024, driven by rising prices, tax hikes, and evolving consumer behavior.

That changing consumer behavior is showing up in a few key ways. According to CStore Decisions, more shoppers are choosing vapes, nicotine pouches, and CBD. In legal cannabis regions, tobacco feels less essential. And with prices up, many are trading cartons for single packs.

Even with these headwinds, tobacco still remains a top revenue category for C-Stores, as they account for 70% of tobacco sales across the U.S.

And in the middle of all this flux, one thing hasn’t changed: Age verification is still absolutely critical.

With continued scrutiny from regulators and watchdogs, getting age verification wrong is a risk few retailers can afford.

In our latest , we conducted over 250 mystery shops across 40 U.S. states, using shoppers aged 21 to 26. From timing to verification methods, we uncovered where things are working and where they’re not. This blog breaks down everything retailers need to know for 2025.

Convenience stores are evolving fast. Take a look at the Top C-Store Trends making the biggest impact right now.

Age Verification in the Field

Federal regulations make it clear: checking for a government-issued ID is non-negotiable when it comes to selling tobacco. Yet in 2025, that standard is still being missed more often than it should.

In 21% of our mystery shops, the shopper was able to purchase a tobacco product without being asked for ID at all. While most employees are following protocol, this number shows that gaps in execution remain persistent across shifts and locations.

There's only been a marginal improvement, as an ID was requested in 79% of visits this year, up just 1% from 78% last year. Progress is happening, but at a pace that leaves too much room for error.

Shopper Quotes:
“I asked for a Black and Mild cigarette. The employee did not verify my age, ask for my ID, or anything.”

Want to know how many visits nailed all three steps: asking for ID, doing it before payment, and checking the ID properly? Download the full for the answer.

How Employees Are Verifying Age

There’s more than one way to check a customer’s age, but not all methods are equally reliable.

This year, scanning the ID remains the most common approach. It was used in 58% of visits, which is a sign of progress from 52% in 2024. Some employees manually entered the date of birth from the ID, while others relied on customers verbally stating their age, or used alternative methods.

What’s concerning is that 18% of employees didn’t follow any clear verification process. In some cases, they took a customer’s word for it. In others, they entered a date that didn’t match the ID. According to our study, 61% of shoppers felt their ID was properly checked, while 39% said it wasn’t.

Younger-looking shoppers are getting carded more often too. In 2025, 79% of 21–22-year-olds were asked for ID, which is a 7% increase from last year. But here’s the flip side: ID checks dropped for older shoppers aged between 23–26 by 9%. So while employees are being more cautious with the youngest buyers, they’re letting slightly older-looking customers slip through.

The time of day continues to influence how often IDs are requested as well. Carding was highest during the morning hours, with 90% of customers asked for ID between 7:00 a.m. and 12:59 p.m. In contrast, compliance dipped in the afternoon (77%), evening (75%), and early morning hours (71%).

The report also breaks down how often IDs are visually inspected and whether they’re properly checked across different dayparts.

Shopper Quotes:
“When purchasing my tobacco product, the employee scanned the product and asked to see my ID. I provided it, he glanced at it, and then put a birthday in that did not match my birthday.”
“I walked in and asked for a couple of Swisher sweets cigars. She asked for my birth date and she never asked for a physical ID for verification.”

The data suggests that even when age checks are happening, the level of diligence can vary widely. Without consistent standards, the customer’s experience and the brand’s compliance remains unpredictable.

Want to dive into all the data we've gathered in this study? Download the 2025 .

Age Verification Technology (AVT)

Age Verification Technology (AVT) played a big role in this year’s results. In 58% of visits, employees scanned the customer’s ID, showing that AVT is widely used in the field.

But scanning alone doesn’t guarantee accuracy.

In some cases, employees scanned the ID without even looking at it. They just flipped it over and moved on. That kind of shortcut creates a false sense of security. In 19% of those visits, there was no visual inspection at all.

Execution still matters. The best tech can only go so far if it is not being used the right way.

One more thing stood out. National chains were less likely to visually inspect IDs than regional stores. Want to see how wide the gap really is? Read the full .

Shopper Quotes:
“I asked for a couple Swisher Sweet cigars. The employee gave me. I then handed it to him and he just said "Can you flip over the back? I just need to scan it." He did and then proceeded finalizing my transaction.”

Good execution starts with good training. Scanners help, but they are not a replacement for strong in-store habits. Brands that want real compliance need clear standards and regular audits to make sure the tech is actually supporting the process, not weakening it.

Explore how mystery shopping can help you evaluate your convenience store technologies. 

Store Signage

Signage continues to be a key component of age verification, acting as both a customer-facing reminder and an internal cue for employees. Our study found the following:

• 82% of locations had ‘we ID’ signage at the point of entry.
• 76% of locations had ‘we ID’ signage at the point of purchase.
• 43% of locations had other signage regarding selling to minors.

However, 12% of locations had no ID signage anywhere. Not at the entrance. Not at the counter. And when you look at the last three years, that number has barely moved. Consistently, 1 in 10 stores still don’t display any age verification signage at all.

It’s not just the big brands leading the way. Regional chains are matching and in some cases beating national players on age verification. In 2025, they led in ID scanning at 62% compared to 55% at national chains. Visual inspections were even, with both landing at 86%. The gap in execution is still there, but the good news is that both groups have improved since last year.

From our work with Parkland Corporation: "On the Age Restricted Shop program, it's been very good to ensure that our employees and our Customer Service Representatives at our locations are following our procedures and asking for the proper ID when some one is purchasing an age restricted product."
- Andrew Balchin, Program Manager at Parkland Corporation.

What Happens When You Don’t Get Age Checks Right?

Legal and Financial Implications

When retailers fail to follow tobacco regulations, the penalties can be steep. We’re talking about thousands of dollars in fines, and in some cases, the suspension or loss of a tobacco sales license.

Since 2010, the FDA has conducted more than 1.5 million compliance checks in the U.S. That resulted in over 33,000 civil money penalties and 230 no-tobacco-sale orders for violations of federal age-restriction laws. That is not a small number.

Violations range from selling to minors to improper labeling and missing signage. These issues can stack up quickly and turn into costly problems if left unchecked.

Brand Reputation Damage

A single mistake at the counter can spark negative headlines or go viral on social media. Once that happens, it doesn’t just affect one store but impacts how customers view the entire brand.

Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose. That’s why even one age-verification failure can lead to lasting damage.

Operational Impact

Non-compliance also means more eyes on your business. Regulators are likely to increase inspections, tighten oversight, and apply extra pressure on store-level teams.

This adds more work, more stress, and higher compliance costs across the board. And it pulls attention away from daily operations that actually drive business.

How Brands Can Do Tobacco Compliance Better

Compliance starts with habits. If asking for ID isn’t second nature, the process breaks down fast. It’s not just about using AVT or posting signs. It’s about keeping products away from minors and protecting your business.

Mystery shopping programs are one of the most reliable ways to see what’s really happening during tobacco transactions. It gives you a clear view of how employees are handling age checks across different stores. And it’s not just about catching mistakes. Use the results to coach your team, reward what’s working, and improve what’s not.

Once you know where you stand, compliance audits help you level up. These visits confirm that staff are using AVT correctly, following every required step, and keeping ID signage visible.

Tobacco compliance is a moving target. The rules are clear, but execution still varies from store to store. The brands that lead are the ones building strong habits, training for consistency, and staying close to what’s actually happening in the field.

Want the full picture of how tobacco compliance looks today?

We work with brands across North America to help them tighten operations, stay compliant, and build better customer experiences at scale. If that’s on your roadmap, we should talk.