The amount spent by shoppers using contactless cards and near field communication (NFC) devices rose by 164% last year, with half of Britons now using contactless payments at least once a month, according to figures released by Barclaycard. Although Londoners are still most likely to use contactless, in Manchester spending has climbed by 325% since 2014, with Glasgow, Blackpool, Hull and Edinburgh also quick to adopt the payment method. In London, there is no need for cash or credit cards, but many shops have introduced contactless terminals that can be used as an alternative means of payment.
The amount spent by shoppers using contactless cards and near field communication (NFC) devices rose by 164% last year, with half of Britons now using contactless payments at least once a month, according to figures released by Barclaycard. Although Londoners are still most likely to use contactless, in Manchester spending has climbed by 325% since 2014, with Glasgow, Blackpool, Hull and Edinburgh also quick to adopt the payment method. In October, the UK Cards Association (UKCA) revealed there are now more than 100 million contactless debit and credit cards in the UK.