NEWS1
Top Stories

BBA STATISTICS – USE OF CREDIT CARDS RISES BY 6%

Published by Gbaf News

Posted on July 4, 2014

1 min read
Add as preferred source on Google

BBA Reports Increase in Credit Card Usage

Figures published by the BBA show that 204 million credit card purchases were made in May 2014, 6% more than May 2013.

Chief Economist Provides Commentary

BBA chief economist, Richard Woolhouse, said:

“Our figures suggest that British consumers are showing an increasing willingness to take on credit as they become more confident about the recovery.

Card Usage Grows Despite Stable Spending

“What’s interesting is that while the value of card spending is similar to May last year, the number of card purchases are 6% higher.

Consumers Adopt Smarter Borrowing Strategies

“Customers seem to be taking more control over how they spend and borrowing more wisely by using interest-free offers to defer payments.”

Key Takeaways

  • Credit card purchases in the UK rose 6% year‑on‑year in May 2014 despite similar spending value.
  • Consumers are making more but smaller transactions, using interest‑free offers to manage borrowing.
  • BBA attributes the rise to improving consumer confidence amid economic recovery.
  • Consumers appear to be borrowing more wisely by leveraging deferred‑payment deals.

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What drove the 6% rise in credit card purchases?
Increased consumer confidence and economic recovery encouraged more frequent use of credit cards, often via interest‑free offers to defer payments.
Did total spending increase along with the number of purchases?
No—the value of card spending remained similar to May 2013, but the number of purchases rose by 6%.
How are consumers managing their borrowing?
By taking more control over spending and using interest‑free offers to defer payments, indicating more prudent borrowing.

Tags

Related Articles

More from Top Stories

Explore more articles in the Top Stories category