London newspaper The Evening Standard is launching a pre-paid contactless card that can be used as a substitute for cash when purchasing copies of the paper.The new Eros card will, like Transport for London's Oyster payments system, make the paper cheaper to buy than paying cash. The card can be topped up on the paper's Web site.
From Monday, a week long trial at Waterloo station will see commuters given a pre-loaded Eros card between 7am and 9.30am and 4pm to 7pm each day. A roll out across the capital's travel zone one will begin in October.
Andrew Mullins, managing director, Evening Standard, told reporters that the Eros card will provide in depth knowledge of how many people are buying the paper and when.
The Evening Standard has seen its sales figures fall in recent months following the introduction of two free evening newspapers in London. The paper hopes the Eros card will help bolster sales.
Earlier this month UK tabloid The Sun said it was teaming with Tuxedo Money Solutions to launch a pre-paid, pay-as-you-go, chip and PIN MasterCard.
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