Glenroe stars help to launch ‘Laser’

October 1995

Shoppers in Pettitt’s supermarket at St Aidan’s in Wexford were gobsmacked on Friday afternoon when they bumped into Michelle and Conor from Glenroe doing a bit of weekly shopping.

Actors Isobel Mahon and Tim Murphy were in the not-so-sunny south-east to help launch a new handy card for shoppers.

Called ‘Laser’, the cards will allow current account holders to pay for shopping without having to write cheques.

All they have to do is hand the card to the check-out girl, and she’ll put it through a swipe system there. The cost of the items purchased with ‘Laser’ will be deducted directly from the customer’s current account within three working days. It’s a little like credit cards, except for how ‘Laser’ works with money the user already has, and payment is taken almost immediately instead of an amount being left outstanding and interest starting to accrue.

As an additional service, ‘Laser’ can also work as an ATM card, as users will be able to withdraw up to £75 cash at a check-out as well as paying for their shopping there.

Wexford is one of three areas in the country to be chosen for the pilot scheme, which is being operated by AIB and Bank of Ireland. Cards are already being issued to eligible current account holders.

Shoppers in Pettitt’s expressed great interest in the new ‘Laser’ cards, while many also took the opportunity to have themselves photographed with the Glenroe stars.