وفقاً لدراسة أجرتها ماستركارد: توجه كبير للمستهلكين في السعودية نحو حلول الدفع اللاتلامسية كخيارات بديلة للدفع

• More than 65% of consumers in Saudi Arabia use a contactless payment method
• 78% of respondents in Saudi Arabia view contactless payment methods as the preferred method of payment
• During the period between February and March 2020, contactless payment transactions grew at a rate of three times the traditional payment transactions for daily purchases from grocery stores and pharmacies

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 30, 2020 - During the month of March, many Middle Eastern countries imposed restrictions that contributed to changing the lifestyle of many societies in those countries. As a result of these restrictions, a large number of consumers have resorted to adopting contactless payment solutions when purchasing their daily needs. In a new global study conducted by MasterCard on changing consumer behavior in 19 countries around the world, the increasing demand for consumers to use contactless payment technologies was highlighted, as 65% of the respondents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia confirmed that they use contactless payment methods for reasons related to Safety and hygiene during the Corona virus outbreak.

The methods of shopping and purchasing daily needs from grocery stores, pharmacies and other necessary supplies have witnessed a major transformation in recent times, as shoppers have to apply social distancing practices and other preventive measures when going out to purchase the daily needs of their families. The study indicated that this shift was more evident when paying for purchases; Consumers prefer to pay using contactless payment technologies due to concerns about hygiene and security standards at the point of sale.

The study showed the following results in Saudi Arabia:

Increasing shift towards contactless payments: Security schemes have led consumers to prefer contactless payment options due to the ease and convenience of these solutions. In Saudi Arabia, 63% of those surveyed have replaced their traditional cards with other cards that offer contactless payment.

High level of trust in contactless payment solutions: The current global events have increased consumer concern about the use of cash and their preference for using contactless payment solutions for reasons of security and hygiene, in addition to the peace of mind that this technology provides, and 65% of consumers report that they are now using a contactless payment method While 80% agreed that this model is one of the cleanest and safest payment methods during the outbreak of the Corona virus. 81% of them confirmed that it is more convenient than cash payment, and 84% expressed the ease of this method. Also, 84% of respondents in Saudi Arabia said that adopting contactless payment solutions is easy and smooth. Contactless payments are also 10 times faster than other direct payment methods, allowing customers to enter and leave stores in less time.

Contactless payments, born to stay: About two out of three people in Saudi Arabia (62% of those surveyed) confirmed that fears of infection with the Corona virus had prompted them to limit the use of cash payments, while 81% expressed their desire to continue using contactless payments. In the long term, after the threat of the Corona virus subsides.

In this regard, Jihad Khalil, General Manager of MasterCard in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, said : "There is no doubt that the application of the principle of social distancing has become a prerequisite at the present time. On a related aspect, the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has demonstrated its ability to maintain the safety of citizens and residents. In addition to the necessity of Staying at home during this period, the application of the principle of social distancing includes several forms, including not touching devices of common use, such as those available at points of sale.To reinforce this trend among consumers, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) decided to exempt all bank transfers From all fees, in addition to raising the limits for card payments, a move that shows a strong commitment to the local economy supported by MasterCard. In this sense, the use of contactless payment provides safety for all consumers, especially during this critical period."

An important transformation period for contactless payment solutions

For years, MasterCard has been leading the global effort to adopt contactless payment solutions, emphasizing the importance of these solutions as a secure, easy and fast payment method. As consumers search for ways to quickly enter and exit stores without touching payment devices, data from MasterCard indicates that the number of contactless payment transactions in Saudi Arabia was twice as high as compared to traditional card payments during the month of March. 2020 compared to March 2019. The data also indicated that 80% of contactless transactions worldwide were for purchases of less than 25 dollars, a category that has long been dominated by the traditional cash payment method.

In this context, Ziad Al-Youssef, CEO of the Saudi Payments Company, said: “95% of the points of sale in the market support the short-term communication model for contactless transactions. 82% of monthly transactions through this model, and we raised the transaction limit that does not require card holder verification to 300 Saudi riyals in all POS devices in the market, and we expect that 93% of transactions will be covered through this model.”

Despite the varying rates of adoption of contactless payment solutions in countries of the world and their use for shopping and purchasing daily needs, MasterCard’s data on purchase trends from grocery stores and pharmacies indicate a significant increase in the use of contactless payments in various regions of the world during the months of February and March. MasterCard has experienced a threefold increase in the number of contactless payment transactions in Saudi Arabia as compared to traditional card payments in grocery stores and pharmacies, which indicates a change in consumer behavior and preference regarding the method of paying for purchases.

Last March, MasterCard announced its commitment to increasing contactless payment limits in more than 50 countries around the world; Including Saudi Arabia, where the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency approved raising the spending limit to 300 Saudi riyals, and this step comes as part of MasterCard’s global efforts to provide consumers, merchants and small enterprises with safe payment solutions during the crisis of the Corona Virus (Covid-19) outbreak.