In today’s convenience-retail environment, speed of service and friction-free payments are an essential part of shopper experience. As expectations evolve, retailers must adapt to the shift towards contactless and wallet-based payments. This article explores how the UK market is changing, what major players are doing, and how your store can stay ahead of the curve.
The Growing Dominance of Contactless
The latest data from UK Finance shows that in 2024 nearly 40% of all payments in the UK were made via contactless methods[1].
In fact:
- Card payments still made up 64% of all UK transactions in 2024
- Of those card payments, 18.9 billion were contactless in 2024
- For the first time, 50% of UK adults used mobile contactless payments at least monthly
These figures signal more than a trend, they represent a structural shift in how people pay. For convenience stores, that means the checkout isn’t just a till anymore: it’s a key service point, meant for fast transactions. Ultimately, as with everything, customers want transactions to be done as fast as possible, keeping their shop visits swift.
Digital Wallets & Mobile Tap-to-Pay
The rise in mobile wallet use (via Apple Pay, Google Pay, smart-watches etc.) is rewriting the rules. More than half of UK adults reported being registered for at least one mobile payment service in 2024, and 50% used mobile contactless payments regularly[1].
This opens several opportunities for convenience stores:
- Faster checkouts: fewer queues and less till time.
- Improved basket throughput: quicker payments enable impulse buys, lower abandonment.
- Future-proofing: younger shoppers were some of the first to adopt these methods 0 stay on top of the trend to avoid having to ‘catch-up’ later.
“Whether it’s tapping a phone, paying in crypto, or linking loyalty through a digital wallet, the future of retail is fast, frictionless, and increasingly mobile.”
Retail Tech Innovation Hub.
What Can Retailers Do?
- Ensure your payment-terminal mix supports full contactless:
- Promote and integrate mobile wallet options: Adopt offers that work via Apple Pay/Google Pay and consider loyalty integration via the wallet.
- Train staff and optimise signage: Let customers know you accept contactless and wallet payments; staff must confidently assist customers unfamiliar with the tech.
- Monitor payment-data flows: Faster payments with mobile and card yield richer data.
- Keep an eye on inclusive access: While digital is rising, not all customers are there yet, still preferring to pay with cash.
How This Can Benefit Retailers
- Shorter dwell time at checkout improves satisfaction and repeat rate.
- Improves hygiene perception and reduces PIN pad-touch anxiety.
- Enables new service formats: click-and-collect, mobile order & pay, kiosk payments.
With nearly 40% off call payments made by contactless card, digital wallets are no longer a nice to have – it’s a necessity. By supporting the transition fully, from integrating contactless options to training the team fully, retailers can not only grow but also offer all-round better customer service.
[1] UK Finance: UK Payment Markets 2025
[2] UK Finance: UK Payment Markets 2025
