Coles deploys contactless payment terminals

Retail giant Coles has completed an 8-month technology rollout that will allow customers to make sub-$100 payments with contactless credit cards and mobile applications.

Coles deployed more than 14,000 MasterCard PayPass terminals in about 750 stores across Australia, after inking a deal with technology firm Ingenico in December.

The 'Tap&Go' terminals use near-field communications (NFC) technology to process payments without customers having to swipe or insert their contactless cards.

PayPass terminals work with MasterCard PayPass and contactless Visa Paywave cards, as well as NFC payment applications like CommBank's Kaching and Westpac's trial Android app.

Coles has been testing the terminals at select stores since February. Customers are not required to provide a signature or a personal identification number for contactless payments.

"The introduction of contactless payment across all Coles stores nationwide ... will provide our customers with access to faster payments at the check-out," Coles General Manager of Strategy and Financial Services, Richard Wormald said.

"It is about providing ways to make payments easier, faster, and more secure every time they visit our stores."

Coles' chief supermarket rival Woolworths began deploying contactless Visa Paywave terminals in May last year, also for transactions worth up to $100.

The Coles rollout brought the total number of MasterCard PayPass terminals in Australia to 100,000.