The contactless limit for in-store card transactions is to increase from £30 to £45 in response to the coronavirus epidemic.
The new contactless limit – which will reduce the need for physical contact with PIN-entry devices – will be operational at some UK stores from April 1 but may take some time before it can be applied everywhere. For example, it may take longer to rollout at retailers who are currently operating at peak capacity.
British Retail Consortium Head of Payments Policy Andrew Cregan commented: “The last contactless limit increase to £30 took two years to implement but, given the extraordinary circumstances we face today, this new £45 limit will be rolled-out from next week.
“Some shops will take longer to make the necessary changes, given the strain they’re under. In the meantime, most customers can continue to make contactless payments for higher amounts using their smart phone.”
