After a pilot in large stores, Boots are planning to move forward with a program with Visa Europe and Streamline to roll out contactless payments throughout the UK.

Customers will be able to make payments under £20 through the reader. The contactless payment technology is expected to see significant uptake in 2013, with Visa expecting terminal numbers in the UK to rise to 175,000 as customer demand gradually develops.

Jonathan Vardon, IT director at Boots, said: “Our aim is to offer customers a great shopping experience with quick, easy ways to pay and we believe that contactless payment is one way to deliver this as the technology has helped to reduce transaction and queuing times.”