TouchGo Technology Systems Ltd., a vending machine software company, last week announced it is partnering with Zapp to enable mobile payments in its U.K. intelligent vending machines manufactured exclusively for TouchGo. 

TouchGo's partnership with Zapp follows early integration of debit cards and contactless payments on to its Azure cloud-connected, 46-inch touchscreen, video-enabled PC-based vending machines, according to the press release. 

Zapp, the bank-backed mobile payment initiative, gives TouchGo a way to enable customers to pay with their existing bank app and mobile device. Payments are made in real-time, and TouchGo consumers can check their balance on their phone at the point of sale, according to the announcement.

​A third of all U.K. bank accounts are soon to be Zapp-enabled, via partnerships announced in January with HSBC, first direct, Nationwide, Santander and Metro Bank. Zapp already has extensive partnerships with merchant acquirers and payment service providers, including WorldPay, Optimal Payments, Realex, SagePay, Secure Trading, TrustPay Global, Checkout.com and Elavon, which together manage payments for more than 60 percent of U.K. retailers, according to the press release. 

"At TouchGo we pride ourselves on being at the cutting edge of technology," Per Hovland, CEO of TouchGo, said in a statement. "Intelligent vending machines are ubiquitous, and in addition to food and drink vending (including the new coffee tower concept), can now provide consumers with a range of retail products. However, innovations such as Zapp coupled with TouchGo's real time touch screen technology enable us to be even more convenient and attractive to consumers ensuring vending keeps pace as technology and the cashless society takes off."