Shoprite Group customers will now be able to pay for groceries with their phones, with the retail group introducing QR payments at some of its stores across SA.
The retail group says it is the first South African food retailer to offer dynamic QR payments, which allow customers to scan the QR code at the till point with their phones and pay with Masterpass, SnapScan, Zapper, FNB Pay or Nedbank Pay in any of its stores.
The new payment method is in line with its strategic commitment, as it continues to find new ways to keep its stores, customers and employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases escalate to 1 845 in SA, concerns have mounted over whether cash might play a role in spreading the virus. This after the World Health Organisation advised the public to immediately wash their hands after handling cash.
Shoprite Group says QR payments are currently available in 29 Checkers stores and will be rolled out across all Shoprite, Usave, Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores within the next two months. The rest of the continent will follow as soon as possible, it adds.
“As retailers, we must meet the challenge of the new shopping environment to deliver outstanding product research and buying experiences. Rolling this payment method out enhances our customers’ shopping experience with more options and greater convenience,” says Jean Olivier, GM: financial services for the group.
Contactless payments platforms are witnessing a significant rise in payment volumes, as consumers prefer to use alternative payment options to avoid the exchange of cash.
Shoprite Group says the QR code was built on the EMVCo standard with the help of Mastercard and one of the group’s technology partners, Electrum.
The retailer says it has taken steps to ensure utmost safety of the cashless service, as it uses innovative technology to ensure the amount payable will automatically display on the customer’s phone, leaving little room for error.
Making QR payments available in stores and on its Web sites is also in line with the group’s strategic focus on developing future-fit payment channels as it continues to roll out new innovations to improve customer experience, according to Shoprite Group.
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