Record 94.6% of all eligible in-store card transactions were contactless in 2024
Barclays Consumer Spend data shows that a record 94.6% of all eligible in-store card transactions were contactless in 2024. Last year, there were 10x as many contactless transactions per month than there were in 2015. Customer share was highest for those aged 16-24, at 93.9%, however over 65s were the fastest growing user segment for the fourth consecutive year.
Age group | Contactless customer share |
16-24 | 93.9% |
25-34 | 90.0% |
35-49 | 88.8% |
50-64 | 86.3% |
65+ | 84.1% |
Shoppers across all age groups used the technology 236 times on average throughout the year (up from 231 in 2023), with the average contactless purchase costing £16.10, equating to total average contactless spend of £3,803 per person in 2024.
The total value of all contactless payments jumped 49.7% year-on-year in 2022, after the £100 contactless limit was introduced in October 2021, and when shoppers returned to the high street following the easing of all coronavirus restrictions.
Barclays’ proprietary contactless research shows that for payments above £100, four fifths (78%) named chip and PIN amongst their most used methods, followed by cash (29%), and mobile wallets (24%). Since Barclays launched contactless in the UK in 2007, adoption has steadily increased. The majority (55%) now believe contactless payments are secure and two thirds (66%) believe they are more convenient than chip and PIN transactions.
A brief history of contactless payments:
- 2007: Barclays pioneers contactless payments in the UK with the Barclaycard OnePulse card, which could be used to pay at c. 22,000 payment terminals across the TfL network and in c6,000 retailers. The spending limit per transaction is initially set at £10
- 2010: The Contactless payment limit increases from £10 to £15
- 2011: The first mobile payment device enters the UK as Barclaycard and Orange join forces to launch Quick Tap, which lets users make payments by tapping their phone on a contactless payment reader
- 2012: The contactless payment limit rises from £15 to £20. Barclays introduces PayBand, the UK’s first wearable payment device
- 2013: Annual contactless transactions reach £1bn for the first time
- 2014: Barclays works with TfL on the second phase of introducing contactless to London’s travel network by aiding the evolution of the yellow Oyster card readers to enable them to read contactless cards
- 2015: The spending limit per transaction rises from £20 to £30. Barclaycard creates the nation’s first payments fashion wearables.
- 2020: UK contactless limit increases from to £45
- 2021: UK contactless limit increases to £100 on 15 October
- 2022: Contactless spending jumps 49.7%, as Brits embrace the £100 limit
- 2023: Over 80% of 85–95-year-olds pay with contactless
- 2024: A record 94.6% of all eligible in-store card transactions were contactless