Nearly one in eight purchases made on UK cards last year used contactless technology, the latest figures have shown.
According to the UK Cards Association just over one billion contactless transactions were completed in 2015. This was up 228% on the previous year.
The total spent using contactless in 2015 was greater than during the previous seven years combined.
The breakdown of sales shows that contactless use in ‘entertainment’ was up 13.8% year on year, the second highest retail sector.
The monthly data shows that contactless spending grew to £1.2bn in December, a rise of 17% on the previous month. There were 140 million contactless transactions in December – equivalent to 52 every second.
Graham Peacop, chief executive of The UK Cards Association, said: “The swift increase in contactless usage continued apace last year, with nearly one in eight card transactions now using the technology. Whether it’s to stock up in the supermarket, travel to work, or buy your lunch, contactless is a fast, easy and secure way to make payments.
“With a contactless payment, you no longer have to fumble around for the loose change in your purse or wallet. You can simply pay using a contactless card or with your mobile phone.”
