Barclaycard Retail Card Spending Index Shows April Spending was Flat
Barclaycard has announced that the latest data from its Retail Card Spending Index shows April spending was flat.

NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND, May 26, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- 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."

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

Press Release Contact Information:

Stuart Neal
Barclaycard
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