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TORONTO — Jean Coutu Group is slated to accept Interac Flash contactless debit transactions at its more than 400 drug stores in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario.
The Interac Association said Wednesday that Jean Coutu customers will soon be able to make fast transactions using contactless debit when shopping at PJC Jean Coutu, PJC Clinique, PJC Santé and PJC Santé Beauté stores.
Plans call for Jean Coutu to start deploying Interac Flash-enabled terminals in January. The installation will be managed by Moneris, one of Canada’s largest payment card processors.
"Since opening the first Jean Coutu pharmacy in 1969, we have endeavored to provide our customers with the best possible shopping experience. With Interac Flash, customers will soon be able to pay in a flash, which will help ease line-ups at the point-of-sale and improve the customer experience," Michel Boucher, vice president and chief financial information officer at the Jean Coutu Group.
Designed to speed purchases of small-value items, Interac Flash enables shoppers to pay quickly by simply holding their card at a contactless point-of-sale reader that supports the platform. Interac Flash leverages EMV technology and the current chip debit infrastructure, which the association said protects it from fraud tactics such as copying and "electronic pick-pocketing." The platform also offers strong consumer protections and security features, including the fact that the card never leaves the user’s hand.
Interac Flash-enabled debit cards are being issued by Scotiabank, RBC Royal Bank and TD Canada Trust and a rising number of merchants are signing up to provide the service, according to the Interac Association.
"We’re delighted that the Jean Coutu Group has committed to deliver innovation to its customers by accepting Canada’s first contactless debit technology," stated Mark O’Connell, president and chief executive officer of the Interac Association and Acxsys Corp. "The Jean Coutu Group joins the growing list of retailers offering enhanced speed, security and convenience at checkout through Interac Flash."
