Lucky Shopper Has The MidasTouch

PORTLAND, Ore. - (04/25/05) -- A quick trip to the local Albertsonsfor milk and bread paid off big for one local shopper who won a newToyota Prius Hybrid car. Jennifer Page had the luckytouch--literally--in the supermarket chain's lottery to mark theintroduction of its Pay By Touch technology--which allows shoppersto pay for groceries with the touch of a finger. The biometricfingerprint technology is used instead of checks or credit/debitcards to debit a customer's credit union or bank account. For thewinning purchase, Page just scanned her finger, entered herseven-digit code, and accessed her existing checking account.Shoppers can enroll to access their credit union or bank accountand/or a Discover/Pulse EFT card, which is offered at 4,100 creditunions and banks. Alberstons offers the Pay By Touch at four areastores. The Pay By Touch system has also been introduced in PigglyWiggly grocery stores in South Carolina and NorthCarolina.