Vodafone has taken a controlling stake of Vouchercloud, a mobile based savings firm, with 57 percent ownership.

Vouchercloud who has just entered the Irish market, provide discounts and vouchers to a wide range of UK shops, restaurants and leisure providers. The service is tied to a GPS service which provides the location of the closest offers.

The move comes as Vodafone looks to deliver on mobile commerce. Vodafone commercial development director Tobin Ireland said: “Mobile couponing is set to grow rapidly across Vodafone's businesses as cost-conscious consumers increasingly turn to their smartphones to hunt for bargains and collect loyalty points."