Barclaycard has joined forces with UK chain Costa Coffee to launch a reusable coffee cup with integrated contactless payments technology that enables users to pay for their caffeine with a wave of their mug.
Available in all Costa Coffee stores later this month, the Clever Cup costs £14.99, with a £1 donation from every sale going to the Costa Foundation.
The cup has a silicon base with a contactless chip that can be detached for ease of washing. Owners can use the cup to make purchases in Costa, or anywhere else that accepts contactless payments.
The cup is powered by Barclaycard's bPay technology, meaning that users can track their spending, top up their balance, and take control to block or cancel the contactless payment element online or using the dedicated app.
Costa is rolling out a whole reusable range to encourage customers to ditch single-use takeaway cups.
Jason Cotta, MD, Costa Coffee, says: "Contactless technology has become increasingly prominent in our daily lives and through the launch of the new Costa / Barclaycard Clever Cup we hope to appeal to those tech-savvy customers to help facilitate and drive environmentally friendly behaviour."
Rob Morgan, head, sales and partnerships, Barclays, adds: “Today's shoppers are looking for seamless and 'to hand' ways to pay. Our wearable chip technology allows almost any accessory to be transformed into a smart payment device, unlocking the benefits of speed and ease in everyday purchases."
Update: on 16th November, we were informed of a delay to the rollout and will bring further news once we have it.