A major credit card provider says the second highest jump in spending using contactless transactions is in Chester.
Barclaycard Contactless Spending Index shows contactless spending across the UK has leapt 34 per cent since the start of 2017.
And shoppers in the Midlands and the north of England are increasing their use of contactless more than anywhere else in the UK, with the biggest jumps in spending seen in Derby (up 45 per cent), Chester (up 44 per cent), Newcastle Upon Tyne (up 42 per cent), Coventry (up 42 per cent) and Stoke on Trent (up 41 per cent).
This news comes as industry body, the UK Cards Association (UKCA), reveals credit and debit payments have doubled in the last 10 years – with the increased use of contactless one of the main drivers for this growth.
Contactless cards allow the customer to spend up to £30 by holding the card against the machine, shaving seven seconds off the time taken to process a transaction compared to chip and PIN. However, some customers are wary of the technology and still prefer to use the traditional method.
Adam Herson, director at Barclaycard Mobile Payments, said: “Our data shows that growth in contactless spending has been surging for several years, but this latest insight is particularly significant as it shows shoppers now prefer to pay with ‘touch and go’, with more than half of eligible transactions made this way. This saves shoppers valuable time at the check-out and makes buying goods and services far more convenient too.
“September will mark the tenth anniversary of Barclaycard introducing contactless to the UK and during this time we’ve seen the technology evolve at a rapid pace – from mobile and wearable devices – to invisible payments such as our newly launched ‘Grab+Go’ concept, which allows consumers to scan and pay for their shopping with a smartphone.
“And with more innovation in the pipeline and a continued rise in consumer and merchant adoption, 2017 is on track to be another record-breaking year for contactless spending.”
