As usual, Bulgarians made their biggest purchases around Christmas when transactions were worth BGN 40.4 million

Bulgarians make a growing portion of their payments through POS terminals, this is what UniCredit Bulbank statistics of payments around Christmas and New Year’s Eve shows. During the holidays the Bank’s POS terminals saw payments totaling BGN 22.7 million, which is a rise of 63% on transactions in December 2011.

The total amount of funds withdrawn at ATMs, payments through POS terminals, as well as online payments, all made in the days around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, also sees a considerable growth – by 53% reaching slightly over BGN 61 million. As usual, Bulgarians made their bigger purchases around Christmas, when transactions totaled BGN 40 million. In comparison, a year earlier festive transactions on occasion of one of the biggest Christian holidays were in the amount of BGN 23.8 million. The average amount per transaction at ATMs of UniCredit Bulbank around Christmas was BGN 165. At POS terminals the average amount per purchase was BGN 86.

Data shows that compared to December 2011 the average amount per transaction at ATM goes down during the holidays, whereas at POS terminals it goes up. This is mainly due to the numerous promotions and discounts available for consumers making card payments as well as the nature of the festive purchases. Despite this, however, there remains the overall trend of a decreasing average value of purchases made at POS terminals by Bulgarian consumers. Thus it is once again confirmed that the use of this service by clients is growing thanks to the enhanced financial culture of Bulgarians regarding the convenience and safety of buying through POS terminals. Payments through the Internet around the December holidays in 2012 also grew by 65% reaching BGN 122.5 thousand. The average amount per purchase through the net was BGN 179.50.

More information for clients:

UniCredit Bulbank, Call Centre

Phone: 0700 1 84 84

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 963, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch