1. An automated customer self checkout station performing automated purchaser age verification for age restricted products, comprising: a scanner operative to identify a first item presented to the self checkout station for purchase by the purchaser; a document reader operative to read encoded information from a government issued identification document presented by the purchaser where the encoded information includes birth date information and a photograph of the document holder; an image capture device operative to capture an image of the purchaser; and a processor operative to determine the first item is an age restricted product and to process encoded information to examine the birth date information for the purchaser obtained from the government issued identification document to determine if the purchaser meets age requirements for purchasing the age restricted product, the processor being further operative cause the image capture device to capture an image of the purchaser and to compare the photograph of the document holder with the image of the purchaser and to authorize the purchase of the age restricted product if the age requirements are met and the photograph and image match.