Cub Foods West Region on Thursday said it is adding biometric payment technology in all 65 stores, including the Twin Cities. The technology, provided by Pay By Touch, is free to shoppers and will allow them to pay for their groceries with a finger scan that is linked to their financial accounts.
The biometric payment technology will be available in all Cub West Region stores by Nov. 30.
Cub Foods has been running a four-month pilot program of the biometric payment technology in Blaine, Eagan, Lakeville and Rosemount. According to the company, the decision to expand the service was based on enthusiastic customer response.
Shoppers can use Pay By Touch after registering at a kiosk located in Cub stores. To sign up, customers must provide identification, a voided check or electronic benefit transfer card and a finger scan. The Pay By Touch technology does not use actual fingerprints. It creates a set of 40 data points that cannot be reverse engineered into a fingerprint. The data points are encrypted and converted into a mathematical equation that allows for a secure identity match at the point of sale.
Shoppers enrolled in the Pay By Touch service can use their finger to purchase products at any Cub Foods store. To pay for goods, shoppers place their finger on a scanner at the cash register. The system then displays the individual's electronic wallet, which contains the payment options available to them. Current options include eCheck (a direct debit from an existing checking account) and EBT. Additional options, such as credit cards, may be added at a later date.
