A pioneering credit card created by a provider and the owner of a shopping centre was launched this week.

Chester-based MBNA and intu - owner of some of the UK’s largest and most popular shopping centres - has created a credit card that is “bursting with benefits”.

Cardholders will be able to access exclusive offers including entertainment, leisure and dining with retail and leisure brands in intu centres at the Trafford Centre in Manchester, intu Lakeside in Essex, intu Metrocentre in Newcastle and intu Victoria Centre in Nottingham.

The deal between intu and MBNA is believed to be the first of its kind between a credit card provider and a shopping centre owner in the UK.

Trevor Pereira, intu’s digital and commercial director, said: “Thanks to intu’s nationwide scale and consumer-facing brand, we’ve been able to team up with the UK’s leading credit card experts, MBNA, to create a sector-first commercial agreement that will form an integral part of our ongoing brand-building strategy and help all our retailers to flourish.

The intu credit card issued by MBNA
The intu credit card issued by MBNA

“Our combined expertise in retailing, customer experience, payments and rewards has enabled us to create something very special for millions of shoppers around the UK.

“With the new intu credit card, we’ll be extending our customer-first approach straight to the wallets of our customers, providing them with moments of delight through our value-added benefits and rewards, which we have developed though the relationships we have in retail and leisure.”

More than 35 million customers – more than half the nation’s population – visit intu’s UK shopping centres every year.

Michael Donald, MBNA’s Commercial and Payments executive, said: “We’re delighted to be the first credit card provider in the UK to collaborate with a market-leading shopping centre owner in a new deal that brings an exciting mix of rewards and benefits to customers.

“While many other credit card providers have been downgrading their loyalty and reward programmes or exiting this market completely, MBNA has worked with intu to take a completely fresh approach for customers.

“The result is the new intu credit card, the first of a new breed of reward credit cards – you might say it’s bursting with benefits.

“We have the expertise to deliver compelling financial products, tailored around the things customers have been telling us are important to them.

“With their help, we’ve put together an exciting range of unique offers and exclusive benefits.”

For more information, including the full terms and conditions, visit https://www.mbna.co.uk/compare-credit-cards/rewards-credit-cards/intu/ .