UK forecourts are at the forefront of the introduction of Android Pay with both BP and Costcutter able to process transactions.

Android Pay enables users of Android phones in the UK to pay for goods and services by merely tapping their phone against a contactless terminal. According to Kantar Worldpanel, Android users make up more than 50% of the UK smart phone market.

Android Pay is now available at all BP stations and forecourts across the UK, and BP claims to be the only oil major in the UK to offer this service at its filling stations.

Yves Bortolini, cards and payment proposition manager, BP said: “Our customers tell us that they want their shopping experience to be fast, efficient and convenient. Adding Android Pay as a payment option at the till meets that need. We believe that sooner or later the smartphone is going to replace the wallet and we’re really pleased to be spearheading that shift.”

Currently, the Android Pay transactions limit is £30 at BP however the company expects to increase that limit before the end of the year.

BP said that between January and December 2015 the number of contactless transactions made at its UK petrol stations each month rose from 700,000 to two million.

More than 1,000 Android and Apple Pay enabled devices have been installed across Costcutter Supermarkets Group, meaning Android Pay is now available to all Costcutter, Mace, Supershop, Kwiksave and Simply Fresh stores which operate Costcutter Supermarkets Group’s CPoS system.

Dave Morris, IT director for Costcutter Supermarkets Group, commented: “Android Pay is great news for our retailers. Being able to offer this latest technology compliments the range of existing payment options on offer and should lead to an overall increase in the use of contactless payment, which will in turn help reduce cash handling, queuing times and the associated costs for retailers.”

He added: “We are committed to providing our retailers with the latest technology that will help drive their sales and profits.”