The limit for contactless in-store card transactions will be increased from £30 to £45 in the UK, beginning 1 April 2020, the BRC has said.
The move aims to reduce the necessity for physical contact with PIN-Entry Devices (PEDs) in retail outlets to fight the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The new limit will be applicable at some stores across the UK from the beginning of April but may take some time before it can be applied everywhere, the BRC added.
Extraordinary Circumstances
Head of payments policy at the BRC, Andrew Cregan, explained, “The last contactless limit increase to £30 took two years to implement but, given the extraordinary circumstances we face today, this new £45 limit will be rolled out from next week.
Implementation of the new upper limit may take longer for retailers who are presently operating at peak capacity, according to the BRC.
“Some shops will take longer to make the necessary changes, given the strain they’re under. In the meantime, most customers can continue to make contactless payments for higher amounts using their smartphone,” he explained.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
