Premiere: card payment, now possible in grocery markets | Progresiv

Cibin Market in Sibiu is the first in Romania where the payment for vegetables and fruits can also be made with a bank card. Thus, 30 stalls, including the dairy hall, were equipped with POS devices.

The project is being developed by Mastercard and the Association of Market Administrators of Romania (AAPR), in partnership with Patria Bank, and benefits from the support of the Sibiu City Hall and the European Gastronomic Region Sibiu 2019. The initiative comes after a market survey commissioned by Mastercard showed that nine out of ten adults living in the city own a bank card and pay by card, on average, twice a week. One of the aims of this project is to identify the common denominator between the "local food" phenomenon and the growing trend of practicing a healthy lifestyle focused on a high fruits and vegetables diet. The initiative aims to align the trade with the European Smart standards.

"Card payment, including at merchants in the market, must be a reality and normality. We are glad to be able to do this in the Sibiu market, especially since with the introduction of POS in merchant areas that have been so far only by cash, consumers will have the opportunity to pay easily, quickly and safely. Of course, we want to extend the POS project implementation to other markets in the country", said Cosmin Vladimirescu, Country Manager Mastercard Romania.

The initiators of the project aim to extend the implementation of POS devices to markets across the country. The pilot program is a seasonal one and will run from March to October in Sibiu during the harvest months but, depending on the producers' offer, it can be extended throughout the whole year. The number of POS stalls will reach one hundred in the summer.

The AAPR brings together about 260 markets, with over 12,000 stalls out of 34 local administrations.