Contactless spending increased by 79% across the pub sector in the past year, according to new figures from the Barclaycard Contactless Spending Index
Contactless purchasing in fast food outlets climbed 69% whilst restaurants saw a 62% increase.
According to the research, half of all Brits are now estimated to use “touch and go” payments at least once a month and one in five (21%) are planning to increase their usage even further, according to the findings.
Overall, contactless spending increased 166% in 2016.
Overall, London continues to lead the way for contactless usage, with almost half (47%) of all eligible transactions (those up to £30 where contactless is accepted) now made by ‘touch and go’ payments – up from three in ten in 2014.
Spending in Manchester rose faster than any other city, climbing 325%, with Glasgow, Blackpool, Hull and Edinburgh also seeing significant increases.
Tami Hargreaves, commercial director, Digital Consumer Payments at Barclaycard, said: “Brits across the UK are increasingly catching on to the speed and ease of ‘touch and go’ payments, meaning that for many, contactless is now the preferred way to pay. No longer is contactless just reserved for the morning coffee or afternoon snack. As our data shows, Brits are turning to these payments for all types of purchases, from a supermarket top-up shop to stocking up on everyday essentials in discount stores and pharmacies.
“In 2016, the increasing popularity of mobile payments and wearables has also contributed to the surge in contactless, and as more retailers continue to accept ‘touch and go’ as a way to pay we expect this upward trend to continue well into next year.”
