Food purchases boost voucher card spending
Image by Krisztian Tefner / Shutterstock.com
Hungarians' spending with SZÉP voucher cards has been lifted by a government decision to temporarily loosen restrictions and allow purchases of food in stores, card issuers told state news wire MTI on Friday
OTP Bank, Hungary's biggest commercial lender, said spending with SZÉP cards it issues rose 73% year-on-year to HUF 35 billion in April.
K&H Bank said spending with its SZÉP cards climbed 63% in April. Spending on purchases of food in stores accounted for 29% of the total. Excluding food purchases, SZÉP card spending still increased 16%, it added.
K&H SZÉP cards are accepted at over 39,000 businesses around the country.
MKB Bank told MTI spending with its SZÉP cards increased "over 60%" in April. Close to one-quarter of SZÉP card spending has been on food in stores since the government loosened the restrictions at the start of February, it added.
Around 11,000 businesses accept MKB SZÉP cards.
The looser restrictions are set to expire on July 1, 2022.
Gov't Awards Over HUF 20 bln of Home Solar Panel Subsidies
Bulgaria's Household Income, Spending Rise 20% in 2023
Job Fair and Career Prep at Corvinus Starts Tomorrow
Spago Budapest Offering Unique Sunday Brunch Experience
SUPPORT THE BUDAPEST BUSINESS JOURNAL
Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For 27 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.
Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.
