Confused.com unveils new promotion with the NSPCC

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:47:58 GMT

Expert price-comparison site, Confused.com, is donating £5 to the NSPCC for every credit card taken out through Confused.com in April 2012. Confused.com is throwing its support behind the charity this year as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of ChildLine, the free 24 hour confidential helpline for children and young people, which is a service provided by the NSPCC.

The promotion began on April 1st and will run until 30th April 2012.

Confused.com has been comparing leading credit cards since 2008 and currently displays 245 credits cards.

Confused.com offers the most competitive and market-leading cards from providers like Barclaycard Platinum which offers 0% interest on balances transfers for 22 months, Tesco which is interest free on purchases for 18 months & Capital One World that offers up to 5% cash back.

Confused.com also offers a 'card matcher' tool that helps customers identify their chance of getting a card before they apply, without leaving a footprint on their credit profile.

For every credit card taken out through Confused.com, the price comparison website will give £5 to the NSPCC.

The Confused.com promotion not only means that customers get competitive rates on credit cards, they also support a charity that can make a real difference to children, by fighting for their rights, providing support and making them safe.

ChildLine joined the NSPCC in 2006.ChildLine is the UK's free, confidential helpline for children and young people in the UK. Trained volunteers are on hand to provide advice and support, by phone and online, 24 hours a day.

Svetlana Kirov, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the NSPCC said: "The NSPCC is delighted that Confused.com will be supporting us in celebrating ChildLine's 25th anniversary. For 25 years, ChildLine has been a trusted friend that any child or young person in the UK can turn to when they need someone there for them. In the last 12 months alone, ChildLine counselled over 265,000 contacts from children who may have otherwise had no one to turn to for help. With your support, we can continue to provide this valuable service for future generations of children and young people."

Nerys Lewis, Head of Credit Cards at Confused.com, said: "We are delighted to announce this new promotion with the NSPCC. By just donating £5 from every card taken out at Confused.com we are helping support the NSPCC’s vision, which is to end cruelty to children.

"For those customers in the market for a new credit card, by using our comparison site Confused.com, they are not only getting a good deal on their credit card but are also helping a charity who puts children at the heart of their cause."

About Confused.com:
Confused.com is one of the UK's biggest and most popular price comparison services. Launched in 2002, it generates over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products from car insurance over the last couple of years to include home insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, van insurance, motorbike insurance, breakdown cover and energy, as well as financial services products including credit cards, loans, mortgages and life insurance.

Confused.com is not a supplier, insurance company or broker. It provides a free, objective and unbiased comparison service. By using cutting-edge technology, it has developed a series of intelligent web-based solutions that evaluate a number of risk factors to help customers with their decision-making, subsequently finding them great deals on a wide-range of insurance products, financial services, utilities and more. Confused.com’s service is based on the most up-to-date information provided by UK suppliers and industry regulators.

Confused.com is owned by the Admiral Group plc. Admiral listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2004. Confused.com is regulated by the FSA.

Confused.com launch cash back credit card offer in time for Christmas

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:21:46 GMT

Confused.com has launched a £30 cashback offer for customers looking for a new credit card to cut down interest payments on current balances or to spread the cost of their Christmas spending.

Customers will get £30 cashback once they have been accepted for a Barclaycard and transact over £250 within the first 60 days of opening their account. The £30 will be delivered straight to the customer's door in the form of a cheque, as a little extra treat from Confused.com.

Using a Barclaycard for Christmas spending could help make shopping more effective, whether shoppers want to spread the cost with 0% interest or earn rewards with the Freedom reward scheme, as well as the £30 bonus from Confused.com.

Chris Griffiths, Head of Credit Cards at Confused.com, commented: "For those customers in the market for a new credit card we are delighted to be able to give away £30 as an early Christmas present to say thank you for using our site. This offer means customers can now get the market leading balance transfer card, Barclaycard’s Platinum, which offers 22 months 0% interest, and get an extra £30 back in your pocket.

"Sorting out your finances is often a New Year's resolution, but if you have any outstanding credit card balances that are accumulating interest then waiting until 2012 will just add even more interest to your balance, meaning you'll have more to repay after the joys of Christmas.Therefore a credit card with 0% interest on purchases could be a cheaper option as it can allow you to spread the cost interest free.

"When considering a new credit card it is important to shop around to find the best deal, consider how you want to use it as different cards are better suited for different purposes. Remember that the leading offers are often reserved for new customers, and most providers won’t allow you to transfer balances between cards from the same institutions. Lastly, consider the criteria for being accepted for a card, you can try our free Card Matcher tool that can help you find the right credit card for your credit profile."

Confused.com offers a free comparison service that compares the whole UK credit card market, and offers a Card Matcher tool that can let customers know whether they are likely to be accepted for the card they want before they commit to completing an application. This service is completely free, secure and it won't damage users' credit score.

About Confused.com:
Confused.com is one of the UK’s biggest and most popular price comparison services. Launched in 2002, it generates over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the last couple of years to include home insurance, travel insurance, pet insurance, van insurance, motorbike insurance, breakdown cover and energy, as well as financial services products including credit cards, loans, mortgages and life insurance. Specialist credit cards compared at Confused.com include balance transfer credit cards, 0% introductory APR cards, credit building credit cards and cashback credit cards.

Confused.com is owned by the Admiral Group plc. Admiral listed on the London Stock Exchange in September 2004. Confused.com is regulated by the FSA.

Barclaycard launches next generation online payments with SmartPay

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:25:16 GMT

Barclaycard has announced the launch of Barclaycard SmartPay. This new secure online payment processing system is designed to help European retailers compete with domestic retailers in foreign markets and reduce the number of transactions where customers do not complete their purchase. Developed in partnership with global internet payment and e-commerce solutions provider Adyen, it will revolutionise cross-border e-commerce by offering a simpler, seamless payment experience to consumers.

Barclaycard SmartPay's next generation functionality offers a single payment gateway for large merchants' online shops, adapting language and currency to the origin of the paying customer. While ensuring an interruption-free redirect to the payments page, it also offers a diverse range of payment methods, helping retailers to meet local consumer preferences for online transaction types across European countries which helps lower abandonment rates*.

According to recent figures** for Western Europe, e-commerce sales are expected to reach €77bn this year, and grow by a further 10 per cent per annum to reach €123bn by 2015. Whether in traditional retail sales, leisure and travel or other key online sectors, Barclaycard SmartPay will enable merchants to take maximum advantage of the rapidly growing online sales market.

Paul Cook, Managing Director of Global Payment Acceptance at Barclaycard, said: "Consumers can quickly get frustrated at online check-out and abandon their purchase if the experience isn’t straightforward or they can’t select their preferred payment method. By simplifying the complex online transaction processes, Barclaycard SmartPay will make it easy for businesses to present a seamless, familiar payment environment to customers across the EU and, ultimately, increase conversion rates and confidence with previously unfamiliar websites."

Pieter van der Does, Chief Executive of Adyen, said: "The Adyen Internet Payment Solution has been designed to provide a scalable, flexible one stop platform for accepting internet payments worldwide with one contract and one connection. The combination of our expertise and Barclaycard’s globally renowned brand offers merchants complete control over a payment platform they can trust and the opportunity to extend their online business across Europe."

Barclaycard SmartPay is PCI DSS compliant and will protect customer transactions with a range of built-in fraud and risk tools. It integrates easily with shopping carts and existing e-commerce solutions, and will provide merchants with a live snapshot of all online sales activity via real-time management reporting.

Paul Cook, adds: "Combined with a merchant's own marketing data, Barclaycard SmartPay's unique reporting capabilities will provide enhanced insight into consumer behaviour in unfamiliar territories, helping them to compete in domestic markets from their home market."

Notes to editors
*According to research from Forrester, the most popular online shopping payment across the EU is credit cards (41%), but preferred payment methods vary by country from direct/payment cards to online bank transfers, credit cards or even PayPal. Source: European Technographics Retail, Customer Experience and Travel Online Survey, Q3 2009.

**Source: Forrester Research Inc; Internet Shopping Model, 1/10 (Western Europe), which does not include categories such as travel

Barclaycard Spending Index up 9.2% year-on-year in July

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 11:01:39 GMT

Barclaycard Spending Index up 9.2% year-on-year in July shows talk of Government austerity drive having little impact on consumer spending.

Consumer spending on cards saw a near double digit increase in August compared to the same month last year, challenging concerns that talk of reduced public spending is already forcing consumers to be more cautious.

According to the new figures released by Barclaycard, the amount spent on debit and credit cards, in-store and online, increased by 9.2% in August compared to the same month last year, with new autumn sales, discounts and back-to-school spending helping to keep the retail sector buoyant. The rising cost of both food and cotton may also be starting to filter through to retail prices, meaning higher spending.

This month's increase represents the fourth month in a row that the annual growth rate has increased by more than 9%, indicating anything but a dip in confidence.

The figures challenge recent reports of a consumer spending slowdown and reduced consumer confidence, suggesting that a gap exists between what consumers say about their financial prospects and how they behave, with spending on the high street remaining strong.

Stuart Neal, head of Barclaycard UK Payment Acceptance said: "With leading retailers warning that the Government austerity drive will keep the economy in the doldrums and hit consumer confidence hard, it is good to see a fourth month of increased spending."

"While there is some cause for viewing the near future with a certain amount of trepidation, recent indicators are good. Confidence remains relatively high, but it will be important to see how spending fares when public spending cutbacks begin to hit people's pockets, and not just the headlines."

Spending in August decreased by 1.9% compared to the previous month, partly due to the earlier start to summer sales in July.

The Barclaycard Spending Index is based on spending on all debit and credit card transactions, across 44 retail sectors. Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance processes credit and debit card payments for 85,000 businesses in the UK, around 30% of the UK market.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

About Barclaycard:
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global Retail Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept credit payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues credit and charge cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit, as well as reward options like the Barclaycard Freedom programme.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe and Africa.

Key facts published in August 2010;

- number of UK customers: 11.1m
- number of International customers: 10.5m
- number of retailer/merchant relationships: 85,000

Barclaycard has increased the balance transfer period on Barclaycard Platinum

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:30:24 GMT

Barclaycard has announced it is increasing the balance transfer period on Barclaycard Platinum to 16 months at 0% for new customers with a handling charge of 2.9%.

Barclaycard Platinum also offers 0% interest on purchases for the first three months and a typical APR of 16.9%.

The extension of balance transfers to 16 months provides customers with an affordable way to manage their finances without incurring extra interest. The handling charge of just 2.9% makes it easy for customers to make the move as well as saving them money. Purchases over the first three months will also be interest free, with typical interest at 16.9%.

In addition to the extended 0% balance transfer offered by Barclaycard Platinum, customers will benefit from the broadest rewards scheme in the UK. Barclaycard Freedom provides Reward Money in pounds and pence in thousands of retailers across the UK without the need to carry additional credit cards or vouchers.

Customers will also enjoy the flexibility of contactless technology: payments of £15 and under can be made by simply holding the credit card over the contactless reader; all backed up by Barclaycard’s advanced security and fraud prevention measures.

Full details of cards and instructions on how to apply online can be found on the Barclaycard website.

-Ends-

About Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global Retail Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe and Africa.

Key facts published in August 2010;

- number of UK customers: 11.1m
- number of International customers: 10.5m
- number of retailer/merchant relationships: 85,000

Barclaycard reveals two minute limit for Britain's impatient shoppers

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:13:07 GMT

Barclays' and Barclaycard's latest research reveals that far from the stereotype as a nation that loves to wait in line, two fifths of Brits refuse to queue for longer than two minutes and 68% regularly abandon purchases.

According to the poll of 2,000 shoppers*, women will queue only 12 seconds longer than men, but the biggest surprise is the willingness of younger shoppers (18-24) to wait a full two minutes longer in line than those aged 55-64.

Impatient shoppers seem hungry for change, with food or drink outlets found to have the most frustrating queues. In contrast, supermarkets are seen to be the best at managing queues. 51% of shoppers refuse to even enter a store if they spy a queue and some retailers are taking extreme measures to cope with customers' impatience with 30% of shops shifting till positions to hide long queues**. In contrast 12% of retailers, including supermarket chain Co-operative, have begun to deploy contactless payment systems which, by doing away with the need to enter a pin code, reduce transaction times by over a third (source Smart Card Alliance).

Stuart Neal, head of UK Payment Acceptance at Barclaycard, commented:

"While retailers appear to be aware that even their most loyal customers are not prepared to wait in line any more, hiding the evidence of queues is not the way to fix the problem. Consumers have increasingly busy lives and retailers must be prepared to fit in with them by offering innovative solutions to speed up transactions. By embracing technology and installing new payments systems, such as contactless, retailers will stay ahead of the curve and limit the amount of time that people are waiting in shop queues."

The top frustrations of queuing shoppers were not enough staff serving customers, sales assistants spending too long chatting to customers and people fumbling in their pockets for change. Half of shoppers (46%) favour stores with express lanes.

Brian Cunnington, head of Debit Cards, UK Retail Banking at Barclays said:

"The research shows that, particularly for small ticket items, consumers are no longer prepared to wait in line. They know they can go to another shop and purchase what they need more quickly. That is why many of our customers are starting to use contactless payment for goods under £15. It vastly speeds up purchases, while removing the need to fumble for the right amount of cash."

The study shows that the lower the value of the item the more likely a shopper is to abandon a purchase if a queue is perceived to be too long.

An increasing number of retailers, such as Co-operative supermarket, Little Chef, EAT, Subway and Pret a Manger are installing contactless payment systems as a way of reducing queue times. These leading retailers have helped increase awareness of contactless and, as a result, nearly a third (29%) of consumers now recognises the contactless symbol.

-Ends-

Notes to editors
* Polled in June 2010 by Populus; research commissioned by Barclays and Barclaycard
** 100 retail decision makers surveyed in June in partnership with Retail Week

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of cr

Barclaycard customers stay alert to spending with mybarclaycard

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:55:29 GMT

mybarclaycard, the next-generation online account servicing system offered to Barclaycard customers, will now provide SMS and email alerts to enable customers to keep on top of their spending when out and about.

The new service offers Barclaycard customers the choice of up to six alerts:
- Account balance
- Notification of statements posted online
- Payments due
- Payments received
- Spending limit reached
- Balance limit

One set of alerts is available for every credit card account, allowing customers complete control and flexibility over how they manage their finances. Customers opt in for these free alerts if they wish to receive them, and can select the ones they feel are most relevant to them. They also have the option to set their own spending limits, and to choose whether to receive full alerts via email, or SMS alerts containing a link to the online system and a description of the alert in question.

mybarclaycard alerts are the latest addition to Barclaycard's range of online services, and form part of Barclaycard’s wider strategy to encourage customers to try paperless email and SMS in place of traditional channels. By offering a proactive electronic alerts system, mybarclaycard now offers additional support to customers who might otherwise be reluctant to go paperless.

mybarclaycard is the next generation of online card and banking services, offering customers new ways to interpret and manage their spending. It enables customers to personalise their pages, and offers visual representations of spend to make card management easier.

In addition to mybarclaycard, Barclaycard customers can also take advantage of Barclaycard Freedom, the broadest rewards scheme in the UK, which allows customers to earn and redeem Reward Money in pounds and pence in thousands of retailers across the UK without the need to carry additional cards or vouchers. Customers also enjoy the flexibility of contactless technology: payments of £15 and under can be made with just a simple swipe; all backed up by Barclaycard's advanced security and fraud prevention measures.

Barclaycard Unwind offers Barclaycard holders exclusive discounts and pre-sale access to gig tickets as well as private sessions with top UK artists, competitions and up to the minute music news. As part of Barclaycard Unwind, Barclaycard is the title sponsor of the Mercury Music Prize and the Wireless festival, and has recently announced a partnership with Wembley Arena, which is now to be known as ‘Wembley Arena, a Barclaycard Unwind Venue’.

- Ends-

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues charge and credit cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options, credit and balance transfers.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Key facts published in Febr

Barclaycard wins at the 2010 Cards International Awards

Wed, 26 May 2010 14:18:47 GMT

Barclaycard has taken two prizes at the 2010 Cards International Awards for its Visa CodeSure card and its innovative loyalty programme, Barclaycard Freedom.

Barclaycard Freedom is the broadest retail rewards scheme the UK has ever known: a rewards coalition of unprecedented size and scope which opened loyalty up to small retailers alongside household names. Barclaycard Freedom was automatically available to eight million Barclaycard holders at launch on 17 March 2010, and more than 30,000 retailers of all sizes were invited to be partners in the scheme. It is a first in the UK market, bringing a new level of simplicity and convenience to the concept of loyalty and rewards.

Barclaycard Commercial's Visa CodeSure Card is an industry first which expands card functionality beyond payment. The card combines a standard Visa corporate credit card with additional identity protection functionalities. A keypad, LCD screen and battery are embedded into the back of each card, allowing it to become the platform for secure applications such as extranet access.

Sarah Alspach, Marketing Director for Barclaycard Freedom, said: "These two awards demonstrate our investment in innovation, and our commitment to developing card technology across the board for the benefit of our customers. Barclaycard Freedom is giving customers a simple, modern way to enjoy rewards. At Barclaycard we are committed to improving products and services for businesses and consumers alike, and are thrilled to have been recognised with these awards."

-Ends-

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues charge and credit cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Key facts published in February 2010;

- number of UK customers: 10.4m
- number of International customers: 10.8m
- number of retailer/merchant relationships: 87,000

Barclaycard Retail Card Spending Index shows April spending was flat

Mon, 24 May 2010 15:49:55 GMT

Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance has released new data that shows spending on credit and debit cards in April was broadly flat with a slight increase of 0.8% from March. Barclaycard Payment Acceptance processes credit and debit card transactions for 87,000 businesses across the UK. Whilst the monthly increase was flat, the year-on-year comparison with April 09 showed an increase in credit and debit card spending at UK retailers of 8.9%.

During April, Barclaycard Payment Acceptance saw transactions peak at 12.19pm on Saturday 3rd April, with 340 transactions per second being processed. However, the busiest day for transactions overall was the 30th April, which was the Friday of the May Day bank holiday weekend when 12.7 millions transactions were processed.

The Barclaycard Retail Card Spending Index is the most comprehensive index of its kind and is based on spending on all credit and debit cards across a wide range of retail sectors, at retailers that use Barclaycard to process their credit and debit card transactions - about a third of UK businesses.

Commenting on the data, Stuart Neal, Head of UK Payment Acceptance said: "We've seen a much lower increase in retail card spending in April, although it's still positive news for retailers following the 18% increase we saw between February and March. Looking forward to next month, I’d expect credit and debit card spending to be broadly flat again."

In addition to the monthly spending index, Barclaycard has also released early figures for May, covering the May Day bank holiday weekend. Overall, debit and credit card spending over that weekend was down slightly (1.4%) on the same bank holiday period in 2009.

Commenting on the early May data, Stuart Neal said: "It seems that this May Day, consumers haven’t been tempted by retailers to get out and spend although some sectors have increased since last year with furniture stores performing exceptionally well up 15.5% on the bank holiday last year."

-Ends-

Notes to editors:
Further information about the index can be found at http://www.newsroom.barclays.co.uk/Press-releases/Barclaycard-Retail-Card-Spending-Index-April-spending-flat-6ce.aspx

The Barclaycard Retail Card Spending Index
Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance enables businesses to accept debit and credit cards. The data in this index relates to retailers' credit and debit card transactions processed by Barclaycard rather than purchases made with a Barclaycard.

The index does not take into account the effects of any cash payments made to retailers.

The index does not adjust for price increases/decreases but measures the value of credit and debit card spending at retailers that use Barclaycard to process their card payments.

Bank Holiday May Day data was recorded between Friday 30th April - Monday 3rd May.

M&S Pet Insurance warns chocolate treats can be a doggy danger this Easter

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:19:50 GMT

M&S Pet Insurance is warning dog owners of the dangers of chocolate poisoning in household pets ahead of the Easter weekend.

Chocolate eggs and other treats left around the house at Easter can be a big temptation to four legged friends, however unlike most people they can become extremely unwell if they eat large amounts of chocolate which is intended for humans.

The toxic chemical within chocolate is called Theobromine and the amount contained within chocolate varies according to the type and quality of chocolate. Dark chocolate usually contains high levels of the toxic chemical, compared with white chocolate which contains comparatively little. Even a small amount of high quality dark chocolate eaten by a dog can cause clinical signs such as hyperexcitability and restlessness, vomiting, tremors and convulsions.

While M&S Pet Insurance policyholders have access to a 24-hour advice line, 365 days a year, meaning that if the worst happens this Easter they know they have support at the end of the phone, as it is much better to avoid the problem in the first place.

Vetfone nurses provide concerned pet owners with immediate advice on an animal's condition and can decide whether emergency medical treatment is required.

Vetfone Deputy Operations Manager, Clare Scantlebury, said: "Easter is a great excuse to indulge in all things chocolaty, but dog owners should think carefully about storing chocolate eggs in a safe place out of the reach of hungry dogs.

"The potential danger depends on the amount of chocolate eaten, the type of chocolate and the size of the dog. If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate and is showing signs of illness, seek medical advice immediately."

David Wells, M&S Head of Insurance, said: "It's not just the chocolate at Easter which can cause illness and injury in pets. We have seen claims when dogs have eaten small novelty toys from Easter eggs and shredded plastic used as packing material in Easter baskets.

"Small toys may cause internal damage or an intestinal blockage which can be life threatening. Ideally keep these objects well out of reach of your pets and supervise your dogs closely if children are playing with the toys."

Ends

Notes to Editors
About M&S Money
M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc, making 2010 the company's 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider and the second-largest travel money retailer in the UK. M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance and car insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,000 offices in 88 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,364 billion at 31 December 2009, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world's local bank'.
M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

M&S Pet Insurance policies are provided by RSA Insurance Group plc.

Barclaycard rollercoaster glides to top spot

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:43:28 GMT

Barclaycard's rollercoaster campaign has topped the AdWatch list of current advertising campaigns, with 60% of adults questioned by Marketing Magazine recalling the advert.

Launched on 22 January 2010, the advert tells the story of an adventurous and innovative commute to work - on a rollercoaster. Filmed in New York and Hollywood using the 'Spidercam', the process involved a real rollercoaster cart, 40ft of working track, and complex CGI to create a complete, realistic vision of a rollercoaster weaving in and out of the city's skyscrapers.

This new advert follows on closely from the success of Barclaycard's previous waterslide advert, which also used the Spidercam, which had not been used since Sam Raimi employed it to film sections of the Spiderman movies, in order to highlight the flexibility and ease of use which contactless payments provide for cardholders and retailers.

The TV advert, created by BBH and directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, is part of a wider campaign that will include online adverts and a social media campaign set to reach more than 10 million people using Facebook. Barclaycard also plans to launch a Rollercoaster download game later this year.

The contactless payment technology at the centre of the advert was pioneered by Barclaycard in the UK in 2007; now, over six million contactless enabled cards are in circulation in the UK, and over 20,000 retailers across the country now accept contactless payments.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

About Barclaycard:
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global Retail Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept credit card payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues charge and credit cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Key facts published in February 2010;
number of UK customers: 10.4m
number of International customers: 10.8m
number of retailer/merchant relationships: 87,000

Barclaycard reveals Christmas spending increased in 2009

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:20:02 GMT

Barclaycard Payment Acceptance reveals spending on credit and debit cards was up this Christmas compared with last year.

Barclaycard Payment Acceptance, one of the largest processors of debit and credit card transactions in the UK has announced that shoppers spent more on debit and credit cards from 19 December to 31 December 2009* compared to the same period last year. This new data from Barclaycard provides a snapshot of how customers of all UK banks and credit cards were using their cards over this period.

The data showed that the busiest day prior to Christmas Day for turnover came on the 23 December with £497m being spent. After Christmas Day, sales peaked on the 29 December with £376m being spent.

Other highlights from the data include:

- Total turnover over the period was £4,085m compared to £3,989m in the same period in 2008 - a 2.4% increase
- Post Christmas spending up in 2009 against 2008 - £1,683m versus £1,642m
- Christmas Day - £24m over 0.7m individual transactions processed
- Christmas Day transactions peaked at 12.08pm with 32 transactions a second
- Boxing Day saw an average credit card transaction of £72.46. This was largely driven by the DIY and electronic stores sectors
- Online retailers saw £9.5m of turnover on Christmas Day compared to £8.1m for Christmas Day 2008 - an increase of 17%

Marc Pettican, Head of Sales at Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance said "Our retailers have seen an increase in turnover compared to the same period last year with over £4 billion being spent. We’ve also seen a stronger post-Christmas performance as shoppers take advantage of the sales discounts and consider the effects of the imminent VAT increase."

-ends-

Notes to editors
*Forecast for spending on 31st December 2009

About Barclaycard Payment Acceptance
Barclaycard Payment Acceptance runs one of the UK's largest debit and credit card acceptance networks. It processes debit and credit card transactions for 88,000 retailers, including some of the biggest names on the high street, across the UK.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Key facts published in August 2009;
- number of UK customers: 11.9m
- number of International customers: 11.8m
- number of retailer/merchant relationships: 88,000

Barclaycard announces 100 EAT stores across the UK to go contactless

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:02:55 GMT

Barclaycard has announced that EAT, a leading sandwich, soup and coffee shop, will rollout contactless technology and payment across its entire network of 100 stores from mid November. The rollout of contactless follows a successful pilot project in 24 London based EAT stores over the past 18 months.

The rollout, which began in March 2008 and will be completed by mid November, will see contactless payment available in EAT stores in a range of towns and cities across the UK including Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge. These stores join Barclaycard's ever-expanding contactless payment network, with more than 9,000 outlets now accepting contactless payments across the UK.

Contactless allows customers to purchase items of £10 or under without the need to enter a PIN or sign, with customers requested to enter a PIN occasionally for added security.

Dan Salmons, Director of Payment Innovations at Barclaycard commented: "Contactless is the future of payments and we believe that contactless payment, via card or mobile phone, is one of the safest and most secure ways to pay. We welcome this rollout as it demonstrates how both consumers and retailers are benefiting from the convenience of quick, secure payments with contactless. Consumer feedback highlights the growing demand for contactless and we expect EAT to be amongst the first of many major retailers who will become contactless enabled over the coming months."

Rene Batsford, Head of IT at EAT commented: "For the last 18 months we have accepted contactless payments in over 30 stores in London, and the success and feedback from our customers meant the decision to rollout contactless across our entire network, was an easy one to make. Customers across all our stores can now benefit from a fast, secure way to pay."

Barclaycard and Barclays have issued over four million contactless enabled credit cards since Barclaycard OnePulse credit card launched in September 2007 and have the highest market share of contactless terminals in the UK. Other well-known brands such as Prêt a Manger, Coffee Republic, the National Trust, Books Etc and Yo Sushi also accept contactless payments.

-Ends-

About Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global and Retail Commercial Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept credit card payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Barclaycard appoints new Head of Strategic Product Management for Prepaid

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:51:21 GMT

Barclaycard has appointed Jim Wadsworth as its Head of Strategic Product Management for Prepaid. In his new role, Jim will be responsible for driving forward Barclaycard's prepaid card activities in the public and private sector.

Jim joins Barclaycard from JP Morgan where, for the past two years, he was responsible for developing and launching its prepaid and commercial credit card offerings in the UK and Europe. Prior to this role, Jim was Chief Marketing Officer of Simpay, the pan-European mobile payment initiative and has also held the position of head of m-commerce at Vodafone UK.

Commenting on his appointment, Jim, a former board director of the Prepaid International Forum, said: "I'm excited by Barclaycard's commitment to payment innovation and am looking forward to leveraging Barclaycard's extensive commercial payments activities by developing new prepaid products for both the public and private sector."

In August 2009, Barclaycard published figures about their customer numbers that showed that it has 11.9m UK customers, 11.8m international customers and 88,000 retailer/merchant relationships. In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Barclaycard also issues charge and credit cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit cards.

Ends

About Barclaycard:
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global and Retail Commercial Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept credit card payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

The new pre-application tool provides even further added value to increase customer confidence. The application will be approved before they apply, and they will be able to check their likely eligibility with the new pre-application check - without the need to make a full application.

Barclaycard were the first to provide online banking and now more than 800,000 customers regularly use the online account facility. Customers can use their Barclaycard to pay for goods and services in more than 22 million places in over 200 countries and can withdraw cash from over 600,000 ATMs and banks worldwide

Barclaycard creates new online eligibility checking service

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:50:08 GMT

Barclaycard has becomes the first provider in the UK to launch a credit card pre-application check. The simple, one step, online facility allows potential and existing customers to establish their likelihood of being eligible for a Barclaycard, without the need to complete a full application.

The new service leaves a search 'footprint' on the customer's credit file, to show their information has been accessed, but it isn't a formal credit application and it will not affect their ability to get credit in the future. The pre-application check takes a couple of minutes and is available on the Barclaycard website.

This unique new service will not impact the applicant's credit rating. Amer Sajed, chief executive of Barclaycard UK, explained: "Consumers currently need to apply in full for a credit card UK, without knowing whether they are likely to be accepted or not, leaving a search on their credit file which can potentially have a negative impact on their credit rating. This unique pre-application check solves this problem. The check can be completed in a few minutes and gives consumers a good indication of whether their application will be accepted."

Since its launch, 4000 potential customers have used the pre-application check to determine whether they would be accepted for a Barclaycard, giving them a better idea of whether or not they would be successful in an application for a credit card.

As of August 2009, Barclaycard had 11.9m UK customers and a further 11.8m international customers, with 88,000 retailer/merchant relationships.

-Ends-

About Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global and Retail Commercial Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues charge and credit cards to corporate customers and the UK Government as well as providing credit card protection. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Barclaycard World Freerun Championships to hit Trafalgar Square

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:35:31 GMT

The second Barclaycard World Freerun Championships, which is due to take place on 5th August, will see London's Trafalgar Square transformed as it attracts competitors from around the globe.

The event which is now in its second year is the foremost international competition for the rapidly expanding urban sport of freerunning, and is set to attract up to 7000 fans to Trafalgar Square.

For one night only, 27 freerunners representing 17 different countries across five continents will tackle a specially designed course in Trafalgar Square that will enable them to showcase their creativity and the excitement and physicality of freerunning.

Although capacity for the event is limited to 7,000, tickets will be made available free of charge to fans via the Barclaycard World Freerun Facebook page from mid-July.

The event will be supported by a major promotional campaign from Barclaycard that will encourage people to 'see London differently', through the eyes of a freerunner, with ordinary architectural features and street furniture becoming obstacles to be overcome.

Among the competitors will be the inaugural Barclaycard World Freerun champion, Gabriel 'Jaywalker' Nunez from the United States who triumphed at the 2008 event held at Camden's Roundhouse. He will face stiff opposition this year from an even stronger field that includes British hopefuls Paul 'Blue Devil' Joseph, George 'G-Force' Mayfield and Tim 'Livewire' Shieff, runner up to Nunez at last year's event. Other names to watch out for include Pavels 'Pasha' Petkuns of Latvia, Austrian Andrej 'N-D' Lisal, Jason Paul from Germany, Mexico's Erick 'Daer' Sanchez, Bulgaria's Delian Dimitrov and Nunez' countryman Victor 'Showtime' Lopez.

On the day, each athlete will perform to his own individual soundtrack and be judged according to four, distinct criteria: technical difficulty, execution, creativity and fluidity.

Dan Mathieson, Head of Sponsorship at Barclaycard, the title sponsor of the World Freerun Championships said: "Freerunning is a really innovative sport that is starting to gain some really strong exposure. The moves executed by the top performers are truly breathtaking and, for Barclaycard, the fluidity of movement at the very heart of freerunning has a clear parallel with the freedom that we give our customers through such innovations as contactless payments. We're proud to be continuing our support for the Barclaycard World Freerun Championships and excited that it is taking place in such an iconic venue as Trafalgar Square".

Championship organisers, World Freerun Ents have an upbeat view of Barclaycard's involvement. "World-class brands have been getting more and more into the freerun thing" says Championship spokesman and Urban Freeflow supremo, Ez, "but we always make sure that we are comfortable with any commercial tie-ups and that they make sense for the freerun lifestyle. The clincher for us has been that, starting with the amazing success of last year`s event, Barclaycard's global ambitions for the sport match our own."

Ends

Notes to Editors

About Barclaycard

Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global and Retail Commercial Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept credit card payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of credit card payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issu

Barclaycard retailer rewards scheme takes a step forward

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:33:59 GMT

Barclaycard, a leading payment provider in the UK, has announced that it has taken a step forward with its plan to introduce a retailer rewards scheme by signing an agreement with Welcome Real-time to provide the scheme's IT infrastructure.

Welcome Real-time will work with Barclaycard to develop the software that will enable Barclaycard customers to benefit from a retailer rewards scheme that is expected to encompass retailers ranging from sole traders to major high street names.

Dan Salmons, Director of Payment Innovations at Barclaycard said: "Barclaycard is committed to making life easier for its customers, both consumers and retailers and this scheme will enable up to ten million of our card holders to be rewarded when using their Barclaycard to purchase goods and services with retailers participating in the scheme."

"Barclaycard has close to 90,000 retailer relationships, many of which we expect to participate in the programme, and we believe this scheme will change the way people shop in the UK. That is why we are partnering with a world leading loyalty solutions provider to ensure that we develop a simple hassle free rewards scheme that will truly benefit our customers."

Welcome Real-time is the global loyalty solutions provider for banks and retailers of all sizes and is headquartered in France.

Francois Dutray, CEO of Welcome Real-time, said of the announcement: "We are delighted to be working with Barclaycard in the UK to develop a rewards scheme that will make a huge impact on the British High Street. It is a great opportunity to develop a scheme with the potential for millions of customers and many retailers in the UK, whether large or small."

Barclaycard will make further announcements about the development of the rewards scheme in the coming months.

- Ends -

Notes to Editors

About Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global and Retail Commercial Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless credit card and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues business credit cards and charge cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Barclaycard contactless payment revolution continues

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:06:25 GMT

Barclaycard, the leading payment provider in the UK, has announced that it is increasing its roll out of contactless enabled cards to Barclaycard Gold and Classic cardholders. Customers who receive a new, reissued or replacement Gold or Classic Barclaycard will now receive one of the new innovative cards.

Contactless credit card technology, pioneered by Barclaycard in the UK, makes life easier for customers as it saves time when paying for items that people typically pay for in a rush such as the morning coffee, lunchtime sandwich or newspaper and magazine. Contactless credit cards allow secure payment for goods and services costing £10 and under without the need to enter a PIN or signature.

Contactless enabled credit cards can be used at a growing number of outlets throughout the UK including Prêt a Manger, Coffee Republic, Eat, Yo Sushi and a whole host of other independent retailers.

Recent research from Barclaycard showed that 98 per cent of contactless cardholders believe that contactless payments are easy to use and 88 per cent claimed that it enabled them to cut down the amount of time they would usually take to buy items such as a coffee.

Amer Sajed, Managing Director UK Cards, Barclaycard said: "Barclaycard is leading the UK's contactless payment revolution. In three years we will have an additional four million customers who will be able to make payments using their contactless card.

"We are dedicated to making our customers' lives easier and are seeing increasing demand for contactless by our customers, who can now make contactless payments at thousands of retailers across the UK."

Barclaycard currently has almost two million cards in circulation that can be used to make contactless payments. This includes Barclaycard OnePulse, Barclaycard Platinum and Barclaycard Goldfish credit cards.

-Ends-

About Barclaycard
Barclaycard, part of Barclays Global and Retail Commercial Banking division, is a leading global payment business which helps consumers, retailers and businesses to make and accept payments flexibly, and to access short-term credit when needed.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

Barclaycard PR Contact:
Andrew Bond
Barclaycard Press Office
Barclaycard
1234 Pavilion Drive
Northampton
NN4 7SG
01604 251229
www.barclaycard.co.uk

Barclaycard marks World Environment Day

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:15:06 GMT

In order to mark World Environment Day 2009, Barclaycard challenged its colleagues to 'cut a kilo' by changing the way that they work.

The campaign was part of Barclaycard's commitment towards carbon neutrality and was aimed at helping colleagues understand how they can reduce their energy and water usage, and cut travel and unnecessary waste.

On the day itself, a team from Barclaycard was out and about litter picking near Barclaycard's Brackmills HQ to help improve the local environment. Barclaycard also hosted guests from the local enterprise group Workbridge, the Energy Saving Trust and Monkey World.

Other initiatives taking place included a scheme to promote car sharing and promote the use of teleconferencing to reduce the need for long distance travel.

In 2008 Barclaycard colleagues saved over 500 tonnes of CO2, helping to make Barclaycard carbon neutral for its UK operations. In 2009, the aim is to become carbon neutral for the entire Barclaycard Global operation which has large operations in the US, Germany and South Africa amongst others.

Ben Brakes, Barclaycard's Environmental Manager commented, "Barclaycard's work to help colleagues reduce their impact on the environment paid great dividends in 2008 and we want to go one step further in 2009. By marking World Environment day we're helping remind colleagues that this is a problem that affects everyone and we're all in this together".

-ends-

Notes to editors
For more information about Barclaycard and World Environment Day or to speak to Ben Drakes, contact the Barclaycard press office on 01604 251229

The company is one of the pioneers of new forms of payments and is at the forefront of developing viable contactless and mobile payment schemes for today and cutting edge forms of payment for the future. It also issues credit cards and charge cards to corporate customers and the UK Government. Barclaycard partners with a wide range of organisations across the globe to offer their customers or members payment options and credit.

In addition to the UK, Barclaycard operates in the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle and Far East.

PR Contact:
Andrew Bond
Barclaycard Press Office
Barclaycard
1234 Pavilion Drive
Northampton
NN4 7SG
01604 251229
www.barclaycard.co.uk

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