Retailer Poundland to trial contactless payments

Barclaycard is pushing contactless payments

Cut-price retailer Poundland is to trial contactless payment technology at two London stories.

The firm is working with Barclaycard and supplier Commidea to test system at shops in Dalston and Hammersmith that allow purchases of less than £10 to be made without customers needing to enter a PIN code.

The technology is being increasingly pushed by payment card providers as a way to speed up transactions and reduce queues when buying low-value items.

For example, Barclays and Barclaycard are replacing their card portfolios to incorporate the touch-and-go feature and up to seven million new cards are expected to be in circulation by the end of the year. Some 600,000 Lloyds TSB contactless debit cards are due to be in circulation this year, though the process has stalled due to the bank’s merger with HBOS.

“The contactless payment trial will enable us to offer alternative payment options and improved service levels, so that customers can purchase their goods quickly and conveniently,” said Poundland IT services manager Mo Rahman.

Contactless payments have also been tested by various chains including coffee shops such as Eat.

“This fully integrated system will open up the doors to contactless for a huge number of retailers. The technology can process payments in less than half a second, which is great news for both Poundland and its customers,” said Richard Wagstaff, contactless payments manager at Barclaycard.