Barclaycard is acknowledged as being the most powerful credit card brand in the UK according to an independent study of the market.
The survey, carried out by the ACG, looked at the number of people having a card, how often it was used, customer thoughts on quality and how the brand is perceived. Having taken all these factors into consideration Barclaycard came out on top, thanks to it being the best known credit card in the country and also the second most used.
A spokesman for ACG, commenting on the results, said that Barclaycard would stand out strongly in the current economic climate since consumers look to the best known names in times of difficulty, feeling that there is less to worry about with a credit card brand they know and trust.
In a study carried out by Saga Insurance it has been found that the younger generation, especially males, are more likely to fall victim to credit card fraud.
Men under 50 are more likely to have several credit cards, making any fraudulent activity much harder to spot. It has also been shown that this sector of the market tend to carry themn all with them in their wallets. A Saga Insurance spokesman felt this was a worrying situation and urged people to take more care over their statements and also where they keep the cards.
He added that the younger consumer was probably less worried about credit card fraud, feeling it would not happen to them. However it has been shown that it can and does happen to people just like them so Saga Insurance are hoping the message will get through.
The Summer months are expected to be a busy time for those with credit cards according to Sainsburys Bank, with consumers expected to hit the cards hard to cover their spending.
Estimates put total consumer spending at around GBP7.9 billion for the Summer months, a little lower than last year but still a lot of money bearing in mind the difficult economic conditions. Of this total spend Sainsburys Bank predict approximately 42 percent will be put onto a credit card.
There are benefits to be enjoyed through paying by credit card of course, including cash back offers, points that can be redeemed to collect rewards and 0 percent interest too. The key is to clear the balance before it becomes costly and this is what Sainsburys Bank hope consumers will do.
