Read the latest reports on Western Europe, with local insight, sp...
Read the latest reports on Western Europe, with local insight, specialist knowledge and a comprehensive breakdown of key market data. Our research identifies key strategic themes relevant across the region, while also providing a more granular unders...
Debit cards remain the most popular type of financial card in Sweden in 2023 in terms of the number of cards in circulation, and current value and volume transactions. The popularity of debit cards is attributable to the high share of digital…
Contactless payments, whether using a debit card or a mobile device linked to a debit card, have become an increasingly popular method of payment at physical merchant locations in the United Kingdom. This surge in popularity can be attributed to the…
In 2023, debit cards remains the preferred and most widely used payment method, increasing from the previous year in terms of the number of cards in circulation, as well as the volume and retail value of transactions. However, this growth is set to…
The COVD-19 pandemic hampered the use of cash in Turkey, with consumers also opting to use a debit card over credit cards in 2023. The availability of contactless debit cards encouraged consumers to use their debit cards for small purchases, while…
Although cash transactions continued to play a strong role in Austria, a clear shift from cash to card payments continued in 2023. The outbreak of COVID-19 in Austria further accelerated the change, with consumers appreciating the contactless form of…
In terms of financial cards, Denmark is a saturated market and the number of cards in circulation is not expected to increase significantly across debit, credit, pre-paid or store cards.
Financial cards continues its progress in 2023, however, with mixed results. Global inflation continues to create an uncertain economic climate and an increasing price-sensitivity around sales of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), leading to…
In 2023, financial cards and payments in Germany had to navigate a complex landscape. On the one hand, there was a slow yet steady increase in transactions, particularly in industries such as travel and dining that rebounded as pandemic restrictions…
The Greek financial card and payments market experienced robust growth in 2022, fuelled by post-pandemic recovery and the impact of inflation. This growth trend persists into 2023, albeit at a slower pace, attributed to the positive economic outlook…
Financial cards and payments performed well in Italy in 2023, both in terms of the number of cards in circulation and the value of transactions. Growth was underpinned by the growing trend towards cashless payments, even for smaller amounts, thanks…
Financial cards and payments in Norway is witnessing a moderate performance in 2023, with flat volume growth and steady growth in card transactions. There has been a steady recovery in transaction spend since 2021, following the heavy declines…
Portuguese consumers continue to shift towards electronic payment instruments (payment cards, electronic direct or ACH transactions), with cards being the most used electronic payment instrument in everyday life. The trend of replacing cash with card…
The Spanish economy has performed better than anticipated in 2023, despite the challenges posed by high energy costs and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, with consumption continuing to recover to 2019 levels, boosted by the recovery of travel…
The two pandemic years boosted the use of financial cards in Sweden. While the use of cash in the country was already exceptionally low by global standards at the start of the review period, its role diminished further during the pandemic due to…
In 2023, the Netherlands is experiencing its first full year without COVID-19 restrictions, leading to significant shifts in the payments landscape. For offline payments, this has resulted in a notable increase in card payments and proximity mobile…
In 2023, the UK’s economy has continued to be characterised by a high inflation rate and a rising cost of living. And, while in 2022 this situation was mainly exacerbated by the high cost of energy, in 2023 this cost has gradually started decreasing,…
A significant shift is underway in the realm of Dutch public transport, as the familiar OV chipkaart is being gradually phased out and replaced with a more versatile system known as OVpay. Since the start of 2023, travellers on public transport have…
Closed loop pre-paid card transactions in Austria are essentially merchant-issued gift cards, and demand for these continued to increase in 2023. In a time of persistently high inflation with increased prices of essentials such as food and petrol,…
While there is a significant number of pre-paid cards in Denmark, the spend is not significant. That being said, there is expected to be a modest increase in value spend in 2023, largely driven by rising inflation. With debit cards having significant…
The growth seen in pre-paid cards in 2023 is being supported by the popularity of closed loop pre-paid cards allocated for gifts. The number of such cards has increased in recent years, with the era of the pandemic seeing consumers allocate a part of…