Western Europe

In 2023, store cards in Germany faced stagnant development. Despite a brief resurgence in 2021 and 2022, the category has struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels. The decline is attributed to the growing consumer preference for alternative loyalty…

In 2023, pre-paid cards in Germany displayed a remarkable ability to adapt to post-pandemic changes. This was in contrast to 2022, when pre-paid cards witnessed a decline in transactions and value due to extraordinary circumstances, such as the…

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…

In 2023, debit cards in Germany maintain their upward trajectory, building on the momentum gained in previous years. The waning impact of the pandemic has accelerated the transition from cash to digital payments, particularly debit cards. This shift…

In 2023, credit cards in Germany witnessed a nuanced recovery characterised by a notable and consistent increase in transaction volume and value. As the nation emerged from pandemic-induced restrictions, industries such as travel and dining -…

In 2023, charge cards in Germany displayed resilience, adapting to the post-pandemic era. The category witnessed a surge in usage, particularly in the commercial segment, with value and transactions sitting marginally below pre-pandemic levels in…

In 2023, Germany’s consumer lending landscape was characterised by a complex interplay of economic challenges and consumer behaviour. While the market was recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, it faced headwinds from ongoing geopolitical tensions…

In 2023, Germany’s consumer credit market showed signs of cautious optimism. Despite the lingering effects of the pandemic and geopolitical tensions, such as the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, there was a modest rise in consumer lending. However, German…

Total transactions value growth slowed in Western Europe in 2023, with many consumers’ spending impacted by the still high inflation rates. Paper payments remained in decline, with electronic direct/ACH payments continuing to grow. Card payment…

Technological advances in 2024 will continue to reshape consumer behaviour. This annual report explores the top five digital shopper trends that will redefine commerce the most in the year ahead. Some of the trends included in this report’s edition…

Loans became more expensive for consumers in 2023, as a result of the European Central Bank's interest rate policy, with rates rising in response to high inflation in the EU since the energy crisis broke out in 2022 and the war in Ukraine began. The…

Consumer credit has experienced a significant drop in all areas of gross lending in 2023. In light of the sharp increases in the cost of living since 2022, Austrians have generally been frugal with expenditure. Individuals are focused on meeting…

Store cards remained a niche in Austria in 2023, continuing a downward trend with a double-digit decline in transaction values despite the continuing shift to card payments. Most consumers in Austria are unfamiliar with store cards, and the usage of…

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,…

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…

Debit card transactions remained the main driver behind the shift from cash to card payments in 2023. Every bank account holder in Austria owns at least one debit card, which is heavily favoured for payments at the POS, with debit card consumers…

Driven by a general shift from cash to card payments, which was accelerated by the outbreak of COVID-19, and the continuing travel recovery, credit card transactions saw strong growth in 2023; in both the number of transactions and transition value…

Driven by a shift from cash to card payments, boosted by the outbreak of COVID-19 and the continuing recovery of travel, charge cards saw solid growth in transaction and value terms. However, growth was at a slower pace compared to credit and debit…

This report examines inflation levels and drivers globally and in key countries in Q4 2023 and 2024. Global inflation is moderating, although divergence remains among the key economies. Higher volatility in the energy markets and disruption of…

Store cards continued to register a negative performance in 2023, in terms of both the number of cards in circulation and the value of transactions, continuing the trend established during the review period. This was due to strong competition from…

Pre-paid cards continued to be one of the most popular types of financial card in Italy, particularly in the case of young adults or those without a bank account. However, as with other financial cards, the rise of contactless payments expanded usage…

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…

The enduring consumer preference for debit cards over credit cards continued throughout 2023, with the former accounting for the more than 10 times the value of the latter in terms of transactions. Such cards are easy to obtain in Italy, as well as…

Despite a decline in the number of cards in circulation, credit cards in Italy registered dynamic growth in terms of both number of transactions and transaction value in 2023, continuing the trend of the previous year. This was driven by the growing…

The growth of gross lending in consumer lending for 2023 is moderate and slower than what was anticipated a year ago. Factors such as surging inflation, an escalating energy crisis exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine (with its effects…

In 2023, gross lending in the primary category of other personal lending is experiencing a slowdown in growth due to inflation and reduced disposable incomes. Rising prices, coupled with stagnant salaries, have instilled a sense of insecurity in…

Charge cards continued to register a healthy performance in 2023, with a rise in the number and value of transactions. This was linked to the growing popularity of cashless transactions, as consumers become increasing confident about making digital…

There were no store cards with “pay later” options available in Turkey at the end of the review period. All cards issued by retailers are closed loop pre-paid cards that enable payment in specific retail outlets. Over the forecast period, prospects…

Store cards are registering further decline in terms of both the number and value of transactions in 2023 as they are perceived to be old-fashioned, plus other financial card types and instruments offer greater flexibility. In contrast to credit…

While Norway is one of the most advanced societies in the world regarding card payments, the digitalisation trend has had little impact on store cards. As a result, store cards have become increasingly marginalised in Norway and represent less than…

From many years, there has been a decline in the number of store cards in France, along with a lowering of the average spend. The economic context and inflationary pressures are notable factors here, along with the fact that French consumers…

Store cards continue to lose popularity in Denmark, with the number of cards in circulation expected to fall slightly, with total transaction value falling significant. This is in spite of rising inflation. Store cards have not kept up with…

Turkey is witnessing dynamic growth in social media and gaming expenditure. While consumers above the age of 18 and those in the workforce have the option to obtain credit or debit cards to access their wages, a different consumer profile is emerging…

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…

Pre-paid cards remain relatively strong in terms of the number of cards, but hold a very marginal share of all card payment transactions in 2023. Bank account penetration is almost universal in Sweden, with the result that pre-paid cards are…

Although they are still a popular option in Norway, the volume of pre-paid cards has dropped significantly since the pandemic. Both open loop and closed loop pre-paid cards continue to decline in 2023, albeit at a slower rate than previous years.…

In 2023, open-loop pre-paid cards have seen a mild increase in the number of cards, transaction volume, and transaction value. This uptick is part of the general momentum in card transactions driven by the proliferation of digital wallets,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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 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.

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…

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…

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…

Debit cards are the most popular types of card payment in Norway and face little threat from credit cards or other types of financial card payments in 2023. Around one-half of all payment cards in Norway are debit cards, generating more than 80% of…