Visa Launches ’Groceries’ Campaign Aimed At Driving Debit Usage In The UAE

Shop with Visa for a chance to win AED 12,000 of your grocery shopping back

Visa, one of the world’s leading electronic payments networks, continues to drive debit card usage in the UAE with the launch of an exciting and innovative new promotion aimed at rewarding people using their debit cards for everyday use.

Customers using their Visa debit or Visa Electron cards at any grocery store or supermarket in the UAE will now have the chance to win AED 12,000 of their grocery shopping back. With a winner being selected every month until September, this is the perfect opportunity to finally put your grocery shopping skills to good use.

The promotion, which will run from March through to the end of September, is aimed at encouraging people to use their debit cards for all of their grocery shopping needs without the hassle of carrying cash.

Debit cards are becoming increasingly popular in the region, with more banks introducing debit facilities to their product offering. In Q1 2010, Visa reported a growth of 25.6% in debit payment transactions across the GCC, attributed to the increasingly availability of debit cards in the region.

“We have seen a marked increase in the demand for debit products in the region, which allow cardholders to keep their spending within a budget while still providing them with easy and convenient access to their funds“, said Maysara Ghadban, Head of Marketing Communications Middle East for Visa Inc.

“Visa is continuously looking at new and innovative ways to enhance our customer experiences, and the Visa ‘Groceries’ campaign is a perfect example of our commitment to rewarding customers using their Visa debit cards. It is our hope that people take advantage of this exciting new campaign, and don’t miss out on their chance to win big with Visa when doing something as ordinary as their weekly grocery shop,” she added.

There has been an increased awareness drive amongst consumers on the benefits of using debit cards as more than just an ATM card. Debit cards are more convenient than carrying cash or cheques, and as a ’buy-now, pay-now’ tool where transactions are automatically deducted from the cardholders account, debit cards enable you to easily track your spending. People are also now more than ever paying closer attention to their spending habits, and debit cards offer a convenient way for people to monitor their expenses and ensure that they only spend what they have.

Over the years, Visa has worked together with leading financial institutions to drive awareness and encourage use of debit in the region, announcing a number of new partnership agreements in 2010. Visa works with banks to develop their debit portfolios and enhance customer experiences by increasing usage capabilities and offering increased flexibility, convenience and security for their customers.

To enter the draw, simply SMS “Visa” to Etisalat 4848 or Du 2883 (rates are 30 fils per minute), or register online at www.visamiddleeast.com/debit between March and September 30th.

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