Contactless payments go DOWN at major UK supermarket chain 'for two days' (2025)

A MAJOR high-street chain has experienced a widespread outage leaving customers unable to purchase items with contactless payments.

Marks and Spencer has issued an apology on social media after customers demanded answers.

Contactless payments are not the only inconvenience as click-and-collect orders have also been affected.

A spokesperson for the store wrote: "Hi Andrew, I'm really sorry about this! We are experiencing some technical issues, meaning that we cannot accept contactless payments or process click-and-collect orders. We are really sorry for any inconvenience and hope to resolve these issues soon."

One customer questioned how many stores were impacted as a spokesperson responded by suggesting that sites will remain "open today" despite the payment problem.

Shoppers have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, unsure whether others have experienced the same problem.

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One person wrote: "Is there an issue today with payment systems in just BW or Nationwide. Needed work trousers and had gift cards to spend. Told couldn’t spent £58 on a card. Went back 2 hours later and told it was still down - was going to refund and use cards?!"

Another warned others: "Popped into the Harrow store today to collect some food items after the gym, so didn’t have my physical bank card with me … you know what I am going to say, but your contactless systems and also collection kiosks have been out of service for at least 48hrs."

Some customers even suggested the problem has been an issue since Saturday.

One user put: "@marksandspencer I’ve tried to return some clothing to the Camden store and have been told that your WiFi has been down company wide since Saturday so I can’t return them.

"Nothing on social media about this - is it true? Now need an extension on return time as going away."

Another said: "In a queue with 10 customers at @marksandspencer, I was the only person remaining when they announced that their contactless service was not working on their card machine.

"Welcome to a world where they will stop you from using facilities whenever they want. Cash."

Someone else put: "When you drive 20 minutes for breakfast at the cafe but there's a company wide issue, contactless isn't working and they decide to close the cafe."

A fourth claimed: "Bexley heath store system has been since Saturday and can’t process returns, apply pay or contactless. Why is there no communication from the team."

One user asked: "hello, we were in store earlier and couldn’t use gift cards or contactless to pay. Has this now be resolved?"

Another commented: "Popped into the Harrow store today to collect food some items after the gym, so didn’t have my physical bank card with me … you know what I am going to say, but your contactless systems and also collection kiosks have been out of service for at least 48hrs now .. had the same issue on Saturday at a store in central London."

A spokesperson for Marks and Spencer said: "Our stores are open today but we are experiencing some technical issues meaning that we cannot accept contactless payments or process click and collect orders.

"We are really sorry for any inconvenience and hope to resolve these issues soon. Our colleagues are on hand in store to help customers however they can.”