Thrifty Loans

A recent poll has revealed that Brits carry more plastic in their wallets than consumers in any other Western European country, reflecting just how reliant the nation has become on spending on plastic. The survey, carried out by Datamonitor, showed that the average Brit carried 2.8 plastic cards.

In 2002 this figure was just 204, and has risen significantly over recent years. By 2011 industry professionals are expecting the figure to rise to the average Brit carrying 3 plastic cards. Consumers in Norway came second in the poll, but the figure was still far lower than Britain, with the average consumer carrying 2.3 plastic cards in Norway.

One industry professional said: “In the UK, consumers use debit cards for day-to-day spending much like their European counterparts, but are increasingly using credit cards as borrowing tools, applying for new credit cards to transfer an outstanding balance and to take advantage of interest-free offers. In most other countries, consumers do not view credit cards as a borrowing tool and, as a result, they are not so popular.”

France was found to have the lowest level of plastic cards per person, with the average French consumer carrying just one card. Figures were only slightly higher for Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, and Italy.

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