Research and Markets: UK Plastic Cards 2009: An Overview of the Key Trends and Issues Facing the UK Card Market

DUBLIN--(Business Wire)--
Research and Markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cc3eaa/uk_plastic_cards_2) has
announced the addition of the "UK Plastic Cards 2009" report to their offering.

Published annually, UK Plastic Cards provides an overview of the key trends and
issues facing the UK card market. Intense competition, rising write-offs, and a
deteriorating economic situation have challenged issuers in 2008 and 2009. This
report provides in depth coverage of these and other issues, along with full
data for the credit, charge, debit, private label, and prepaid card markets.

Scope

* Includes comprehensive data coverage of the UK cards market from 2004 to 2013,
including credit, debit, charge, private label and prepaid cards
* Forecast overview including key market drivers and level of influence of
these, under a neutral, optimistic, and pessimistic economic scenario
* Analysis of the impact of the recession and its implications for the cards
sector, including coverage of consumer card behaviour and attitudes
* Case studies of new product development and strategies being employed globally
by key card issuers as a reaction to the downturn

Highlights of this title

* The UK plastic card market has undergone a turbulent 18 months as a result of
both long term difficulties and new challenges posed by the recession. Despite
this, the growth in the overall value of transactions across all card types
remains positive, reaching £579.5 billion in 2008. This growth was driven
primarily by debit card spending.
* The economic environment for cards has taken a beating as a result of the
downturn with issuers faced with a drop in both transaction values and balances
outstanding. These pressures are likely to continue for some time as consumer
spending continues to be subdued by an uncertain economy and rising levels of
unemployment.
* The recession is exacerbating long term trends of a shift from credit toward
debit. Under a neutral economic scenario debit cards transaction values will
reach £470 billion by 2013, with a CAGR of 2.9%. Credit will grow to reach
£119.5 billion over this same period with a CAGR of 1.5%. Debit volumes at the
POS alone will grow by a CAGR of 8.3%

Key reasons to purchase this title

* Understand the size and composition of the UK cards market and understand what
the future holds under a comprehensive range of economic scenarios
* Comprehend the recession's impact and how the market is reacting with up to
the minute data and the latest analysis of emerging trends
* Plan your strategy effectively with case studies and analysis of how key
players are adapting to a rapidly changing dynamic environment

Some Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

* UK Plastic Card Market in Review and Future Outlook
* The UK card market grew by a CAGR of 10.0% from 2004 to 2008, but growth will
be weaker to 2013
* Economic indicators give mixed indications for the future of the UK cards
market
* Market Statistics and Key Trends
* The number of credit card holders is falling
* The total number of cards in issue remains flat, with only debit showing
growth
* Card scheme market shares have been volatile over the past five years
* MasterCard now leads the credit card market
* Forecasting the UK Payment Card Market
* Despite the recession the UK cards market will continue to grow through to
2013
* Competitor Market Shares and Developments in the UK Plastic Card Market
* Lloyds Group is now the largest credit card issuer by cards in issue
* Lloyds Group holds a 21% share of credit card balances outstanding
* Product Innovation in the Downturn: Lessons for UK Issuers
* Datamonitor has identified six strategies for issuers to maximize their
performance in the downturn
* There are two focus areas for issuers trying to improve the profitability of
their business
* Within this there are six potential strategies that can help issuers to
address their pain points
* UK Plastic Cards 2009 is structured in six chapters
* UK Plastic Card Market in Review and Future Outlook
* Cards grew by a CAGR of 10.0% from 2004 to 2008, but growth will be weaker to
2013
* Economic indicators give mixed indications for the future of the UK cards
market
* Inflation is no longer a worry for the cards market
* Inflation may be easing, but unemployment continues to rise

Market Statistics and Key Trends

* UK cards are growing as a share of the total payments market
* The value of all card transactions is rising
* The total number of cards in issue remains flat, with only debit showing
growth
* The decline in private label cards may be stabilizing
* The number of credit card holders is falling
* The variety of cards by type is polarizing into more premium and standard
cards
* Despite static card numbers, transactions are growing with over 10.1 billion
in 2008
* Transaction values are growing as a result of the growth of debit
* Charge cards hold the highest average transaction value and shows signs of
continuing growth
* Purchases account for 66.3% of all UK card transactions
* Debit cards showed the highest rate of growth in transaction value by type
between 2004 and 2008
* Credit transactions are dominated by purchases
* Charge cards are seeing growth in transaction values, driven primarily by
business use
* Card scheme market shares have been volatile over the past five years
* MasterCard now leads the credit card market
* The charge card market has seen American Express' historic lead solidified
into a dominant position
* The increase in POS terminals have helped drive the growth in transaction
volumes
* The Independent sector continues to drive growth in ATM's
* The number of fraudulent transactions continues to rise
* The successful implementation of chip and pin has led to an increase in
card-not-present fraud
* The value of CNP and counterfeit card fraud continues to rise, driving up
overall fraud
* Forecasting the UK Payment Card Market

APPENDIX

Companies Mentioned:

* Alliance & Leicester plc
* Australia and New Zealand Banking Group
* Banco Santander, S.A.
* Bank of England
* Bradford & Bingley Plc
* GE Money
* Lloyds Banking Group plc
* MSC
* Newcastle Building Society Limited
* Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC
* Smile

For more information visit
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cc3eaa/uk_plastic_cards_2

Source: Datamonitor

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

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