Pubs See Increased Use of Plastic

According to new figures from APACS, the UK payments association, pubs are witnessing an increase in customers using their credit and debit cards to pay for their drinks at their locals.

Despite many UK consumers struggling with personal debt, many are opting use their plastic rather than cash when it comes to standing their round.

Recent months have actually saw credit card spending slow in most other retail areas but despite pubs insisting on a minimum spend for credit card use in their establishments, credit card spending in UK pubs is on the increase.

"The overall trend in credit card spending in the UK retail economy has been flat over the past 12 months," said APACS spokesman Mark Bowerman.

However, credit card spending in pubs is bucking the trend as December of last year saw a 35% rise in credit card spending in the nation's boozers. The whole of last year saw an overall rise of 23%, showing that high spirits whilst down at the local may be affecting consumers' judgment when it comes to flexing the plastic.

Consumers' appetites for paying with credit cards in the pub shows no signs of abating as the number of credit card transactions in boozers significantly increased. December last year saw more than 965,000 credit card transactions, a rise of 32.5%, equating to more than £57m going through the tills at the nations watering holes.

Last year saw a 18% rise in credit card transactions compared with the 2005's figures, equating to 11.1m transactions.

Credit cards weren't the only form pf plastic to see increased usage at UK pubs, with debit cards also seeing a significant rise in their use. December 2006 saw more than 2.8m debit card transactions, a rise of 45% on the previous year. The total value of these transactions also rose 45% to a value of £80m. Many pubs now offer cash back saving many customers from having to go to the nearest ATM to withdraw cash.

Alisdair Milton
14th February 2007

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