Prague, 4 January 2013 - In 2012, Komer?ní banka's clients spent approximately the same amount of money on their Christmas shopping as in the preceding year. The trend of a change in consumers' behaviour continues: they withdraw less cash from ATMs while making more use of their cards for payments at retailers or over the internet.

Between 1 and 24 December 2012, Komer?ní banka payment card holders made transactions totalling CZK 13.7 billion (down by 0.5% compared with the same period of 2011). In respect of these transactions, the greatest growth was registered in the popularity of card payments over the internet (the volume of these payments increased 22.4% year-on-year). The volume of card payments in brick-and-mortar shops grew by 8.8%, while the volume of cash withdrawals from ATMs decreased by 4.9%.

"The card holder who made a purchase worth CZK 1.9 million in a jewellery shop in the pre-Christmas period paid for the most expensive gift. Before Christmas, the average payment at retailers amounted to approximately CZK 1,100," said Sirus Zafar, Payment Card Manager at Komer?ní banka.

According to preliminary statistics, Czechs' shopping appetite persisted until the very last week of December. Between 25 and 31 December 2012, a period with only 3 workdays, KB card holders made transactions worth another CZK 1.8 billion.

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