UK high street sees increase in card payments

There was an increase in payments made with debit and credit cards in the first quarter of the year, data from payment processor, Worldpay, has revealed.

The UK high street saw an overall average year-on-year increase of 1.5% in card payments. Worldpay suggest that this is due to the weakening of the pound.

The hospitality sector showed an above average improvement, with spending in pubs and restaurants up 6.4% on last year. The arts and leisure industry also did well, with year-on-year spending up by 9.8%.

Department stores saw a 20% increase in non-UK card payments and total online spending grew 4.6% across clothing, department stores and electrical retailers.

James Frost, UK commercial officer of Worldpay, said: “The overall spending picture across the UK remains a positive one, but retailers in particular are needing to work harder to make every opportunity pay. Online remains a significant area of untapped potential, providing retailers with a ready means to reach free-spending international shoppers, even when they’re not hitting the West End in search of a bargain.

“Any retailer worrying about reduced footfall right now, needs to be looking at how they bring e-commerce more closely into the mix to reach a broader catchment of shoppers, both in the UK and internationally.”