The new card programme, 'Carrefour Axess', combines a number of significant merchant and consumer benefits:
· The card programme will seamlessly merge two of Turkey's mos t successful loyalty platforms: Axess the multi-merchant scheme which allows cardholders to accumulate cash points through purchases at over 160,000 merchants; and Carrefour's proprietary loyalty scheme, Carrefour Plus, with a cardholder base of two and half million consumers. Importantly this will be offered direct from Carrefour through the extension of Akbank's 'Credit Express' branches - the first bank and retail partnership to bring banking services directly into the supermarket environment in the country.
· As a MasterCard card the programme also includes MasterCard's leading contactless PayPass technology and will be the first PayPass co-branding programme to bring contactless payments into the retail sector in Turkey. Over 170 Carrefour supermarkets are already equipped to accept the world's leading Tap&Go™ technology.
"The value of our existing partnership with both Akbank and Carrefour demonstrates how vital it is to underscore such an innovative programme with the very best of our combined expertise. Together we have created a rich consumer offering, bringing service and speed into the control of the consumer and underscoring - yet again - Turkey's place as one of the most exciting payments markets in Europe," said Ozlem Imece, general manager, South East Europe, MasterCard Europe.
Speed and flexibility is at the heart of the card programme. With the in-store capability offered by Akbank, potential cardholders can benefit from a card instantly issued instore, shopping flexibility through an enhanced loyalty and installment programme and - for purchases of 16 euros or less - the fastest way to pay at the Carrefour till.
Akbank deputy chief executive officer, Hakan Binbasgil commenting on the partnership, said "The card programme is the result of our effur efforts to bring a branlt of our effur efforts to bring a brand new way of banking to the Turkish market - hypermarket banking. In addition to being a credit card that combines the benefits currently enjoyed by the loyalty cardholders of Carrefour, with the benefits of the Axess loyalty programme, the card programme also includes such features as instant reward money, a donation programme, assistance services, and discounts and additional campaigns and promotions designed specifically for the Carrefour customer".
Concluding, CarrefourSA CEO Guillaume Vicaire said " With this partnership, we are opening our sixth division under the hypermarket roof: Financial Services. Our customers will be able to meet their financial needs within CarrefourSA stores. The leading credit card product is a significant move toward customers' loyalty. Since launching the CarrefourSA Plus loyalty card in April last year, we have 2.5 million active cards with more than 66% of our purchase turnover made by cardholders of the programme. The Carrefour Axess card represents the next step in the evolution of our loyalty programme"