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Published
Jun 13, 2016
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Contactless spend breaks new ground in UK

Published
Jun 13, 2016

Contactless cards went mainstream in the UK last year - at least according to a new report from UK Cards.


Visa Europe


The UK Card Payments 2016 shows that £7.75bn was spent using contactless cards in 2015, up from £2.32bn in 2014. This was due to the increased contactless spend limit, which rose to £30 from £20, and the growth of contactless transport ticketing. UK Cards found that the growth in spend increased more than the growth in the number of contactless cards.

Contactless is accepted as a method of paying for travel in London, and this is now set to spread to transport operators and local authorities across the country. An increasing number of retailers now also use mobile point-of-sale devices, as customers use smartphones and watches for their contactless payments.

In total, UK consumers spent £660bn on debit and credit card purchases in 2015, an increase of 10% from 2014. Card spending online was up 20%, to £210bn from £175bn in 2014.

Graham Peacop, Chief Executive of The UK Cards Association, said:
“With the amount spent using contactless cards almost trebling between 2014 and 2015 and the payment limit increasing to £30, it is clear 2015 was the year contactless went mainstream. Whether buying a sandwich on the go, or paying for a round of drinks or a tube journey, contactless has become the default way people choose to pay for every day shopping."
 

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