ShopRite to Accept ExpressPay From American Express

ShopRite to Accept ExpressPay From American Express

Supermarket to Offer Consumers a Faster, Easier Way to Pay
Most Purchases under $25 will not Require Signature

ELIZABETH, N.J., and NEW YORK, March 8 /PRNewswire/–American Express and Wakefern Food Corporation, the merchandising and distribution arm of ShopRite supermarkets, announced today that ExpressPay from American Express is now accepted at over 200 ShopRite locations in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

ExpressPay from American Express is a contactless payment option that consists of a secure computer chip powered by radio frequency technology. The feature is an easy-to-use alternative to cash for making everyday purchases at merchants where speed and convenience are important–such as supermarkets.

All participating ShopRite locations are fully equipped and ready to accept ExpressPay–constituting the rollout as the largest deployment of ExpressPay in the supermarket category to date. The implementation of this technology provides a new level of convenience to millions of ShopRite customers.

“At ShopRite we strive to provide our consumers with a quick and convenient shopping experience. We understand our customers lead very busy lives, and believe the implementation of ExpressPay from American Express will help us cater to their lifestyle,” said Karen Meleta, director of Corporate Communications for Wakefern Food Corporation.

Consumers with an ExpressPay-enabled payment card or key fob no longer need to fumble for cash and coins or swipe a card for purchases. Users simply wave their ExpressPay-enabled card or device at the cashier’s ExpressPay enabled reader. Most purchases under $25 will not require the customer to sign the receipt. In addition, ShopRite will continue to accept traditional magnetic-stripe payment cards.

“We are delighted about our partnership with ShopRite to further expand ExpressPay’s momentum in the supermarket industry and help its customers gain even greater speed and convenience when visiting ShopRite,” said Leigh Malnati, Vice President of Cardless Payments at American Express.

American Express was the first issuer to launch contactless cards nationally with the rollout of Blue from American Express® with the ExpressPay feature in June 2005.

About ShopRite

ShopRite supermarkets are members of Wakefern Food Corporation, a retailer-owned cooperative with stores located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware. ShopRite serves more than 4 million customers each week.

A long time supporter of key community efforts, ShopRite was named the New Jersey Corporate Philanthropist of the Year by the Community Foundation of New Jersey. America’s Second Harvest Food Bank Network recognized ShopRite as the Grocery Distributor of the year for its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, a year-round initiative dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities served by ShopRite. Since its inception, ShopRite Partners In Caring has donated more than $11 million to over 1,000 worthy charities.

About ExpressPay from American Express

The rollout of ExpressPay continues American Express’ tradition of innovation. American Express introduced the industry’s first plastic credit card in 1959, and, in 1972, issued the first magnetic stripe card nationally. In 1999, American Express delivered the payment industry’s first wide-scale rollout of smart cards in the United States when it introduced Blue from American Express. The company also was an early adopter and industry leader in leveraging the Internet to develop new products, expand its customer service, and improve its overall operations.

ExpressPay adheres to ISO 14443, the interoperable standard that has been adopted by the major payment brands for conducting contactless payments. Many leading POS and reader manufacturers are integrating radio frequency (RF) technology into their POS equipment, enabling them to read ExpressPay and other contactless payment products. The adoption of a common standard as well as the availability of low-cost RF solutions for the POS that are simple to implement is facilitating the rapid acceleration of contactless payments in retail environments globally. In addition, ExpressPay contains a robust set of fraud prevention features. Customers also are not liable for any fraudulent ExpressPay charges.

About American Express

American Express Company (http://www.americanexpress.com) is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850.