A UK study by point of sale manufacturer Ingenico shows British consumers are ready for contactless payments, but significant issues may hinder adoption. The study showed nearly half of British consumers (46 percent) would use their mobile devices to make a payment; however, the study also showed only 13 percent of consumers have ever owned any contactless-enabled card. Only 5 percent of respondents have ever made a payment using a contactless method.

While British consumers may be willing, according to the study, two big obstacles stand in the way of wider adoption: education and security. Nearly half of those surveyed (47 percent) said they don’t know enough about contactless or mobile payments while 42 percent said they don’t even  know where contactless payment methods can be used.

Mobile payment security is the biggest concern for British consumers, according to the survey. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they worried about the risk of mobile payments. Fifty-two percent said they were worried about mobile payments leading to identity theft.

According to the survey, three quarters of respondents (75 percent) felt ultimate responsibility for educating consumers lies with the payment card industry itself. Two thirds (66 percent) think banks should educate consumers. Over half (55 percent) said retailers should do more to educate shoppers. 

Craig Doyle, Ingenico’s managing director for the UK and Northern Europe, said: “Consumers have long demanded improved convenience and speed during their shopping experience. But this research reveals that they are still not sufficiently confident in using contactless technology to make the switch from traditional cash and cards.”

The study comes at an interesting time for the British mobile payment industry. Just this week, Orange and Barclaycard announced Quick Tap, a joint mobile payment product available immediately in the UK. Several partners are looking to introduce mobile payments during next year’s London Olympic Games, including placing contactless terminals on London’s 8,000 buses to deal with the increase in riders expected during the event.