UK debit card spending at retailers registered a 6.8 percent increase in 2008, accounting for two-thirds of the overall spending on plastic cards, a report indicates.

According to the research made public on 28 April 2009, UK consumers’ habits have not deviated from the key trends seen in recent years, with credit card and cash retailer spending remaining constant while cheque usage dropped and debit card usage rose. Thus, in 2008 out of a total GBP 176.8 billion spent via plastic cards, debit card spending accounted for a total GBP 116.1 billion, compared to GBP 60.7 billion spent via credit cards.

Overall, British retail spending totalled GBP 269.9 billion in 2008, with GBP 116.1 billion (43 percent) spent via debit cards, GBP 86 billion (32 percent) by cash , GBP 60.7 billion (23 percent) via credit card and GBP 7.1 billion (3 percent) via cheque.

As far as total spending levels in the UK in 2008 are concerned, data released by the UK payments association APACS reveal that debit card and automated payment use also increased reported to overall consumer spending (which includes financial payments and payments for travel and entertainment). In 2008, plastic cards accounted for GBP 371.6 billion of UK total consumer spending, a 6.8 percent increase compared to GBP 347.8 billion spent via cards in 2007. Overall cheque spending declined by 6.9 percent in 2008, with spending levels reaching GBP 180.6 billion, while automated payments rose by 6.9 percent, accounting for GBP 333.1 billion of the UK total consumer spending in 2008.