Launching at the Calgary Stampede, Interac Flash Contactless Debit technology will be available on vending machines, making it easier and faster to wrangle up and purchase Coca-Cola beverages
CALGARY, July 4, 2013 โ Amidst the fanfare of the Calgary Stampede on July 5th, Coca-Cola will be the first company to roll out Interac Flash payment capabilities at vending machines, starting with 16 vending machines located on the park grounds. Attendees of the event will be the first in Canada to experience this unattended retail implementation โ just by purchasing the Coca-Cola beverage of their choice at the Coca-Cola and Interac Vending Tower.
โWe are pleased to bring the proven convenience, speed and security of Interac Flash to our vending machines at the Calgary Stampede,โ says John Guarino, President of Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada. โThis first-of-its-kind initiative offers consumers the flexibility to pay the way they want for the beverages they love.โ
Interac Flash, an enhancement of Interac Debit, is Canadaโs first and only contactless debit technology. By holding their Interac Flash-enabled debit cards in front of a reader, guests can pay for their Coca-Cola beverage quickly and conveniently, using money from their bank accounts.
By the end of July Interac Flash will be deployed on approximately 4,000 Coca-Cola vending machines across Canada.
โCoca-Cola Canadaโs decision to offer Interac Flash at its vending machines is an exciting first for Interac debit payments in the vending market,โ said Mark OโConnell, President and CEO, Interac Association. โAs a leader in the beverage marketplace, Coca-Cola understands the value that Interac Flash offers, particularly to its consumers wanting to pay quickly and securely at its vending machines with funds from their bank accounts.โ
Interac Flash gives cardholders the choice to pay for smaller value items using debit faster than ever before by simply holding their card at a contactless point-of-sale reader that supports Interac Flash.
Interac Flash uses EMV technology and the existing chip debit infrastructure, which protects it from fraud tactics such as copying and โelectronic pick-pocketingโ. It offers strong consumer protections and unique security features, including the fact that the card never leaves the userโs hand. Leveraging the trusted Interac brand, cardholders are also protected from unauthorized transactions under the Interac Zero Liability Policy and merchants continue to receive the benefits of secure and non-refutable transactions associated with PIN based Interac Debit.
About Interac Association
A recognized world leader in debit card services, Interac Association is responsible for the development and operations of the Interac network, a national payment network that allows Canadians to access their money through Interac Cash at 60,000 Automated Banking Machines and Interac Debit at 766,000 point-of-sale terminals across Canada. Interac Flash, a secure contactless enhancement of Interac Debit allows Canadians to pay for items instantly with their Interac chip debit card at a reader that supports Interac Flash. Interac Association was founded in 1984 and is comprised of a diverse membership that includes banks, trust companies, credit unions, caisses populaires, merchants, and technology and payment related companies. Other related services offered by Acxsys Corporation, whose shareholders are the architects of the Interac network, include: Interac Online, for secure online payments made directly from a bank account; Interac e-Transfer, for the transfer of money from one person’s bank account to another person’s bank account using an email address or mobile phone number; and international services, which provide Canadian cardholders with point-of-sale access at nearly 2 million U.S. retailers, and PULSE, Discover, Diners Club International and UnionPay cardholders access to ABMs in Canada.
About Coca-Cola Canada
Coca-Cola in Canada operates in all ten provinces, and employs 6,300 people in more than 50 facilities, including seven production facilities across Canada. We offer a wide variety of beverage brands, many of which come in no-calorie and low-calorie options. These beverages include sparkling soft drinks, still waters, juices and fruit beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. Coca-Cola is proud to offer some of the most popular brands in Canada including Coca-Colaยฎ, Diet Cokeยฎ, Coca-Cola Zeroยฎ, Spriteยฎ, Fantaยฎ, Nesteaยฎ, PowerAdeยฎ, Minute Maidยฎ, Dasaniยฎ and vitaminwaterยฎ. Coca-Cola in Canada is represented by Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada and Coca-Cola Ltd. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.cocacola.ca and follow us on twitter at @cocacolaco_ca.