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Debit cards continued to dominate in the United Kingdom as consumers used the plastic to spend £221 billion (US$440 billion or 279 million euros) in 2007, up 13% from £195 billion the previous year, according to a report from UK payments association APACS. Total UK card payments in 2007 totaled £353 billion, up 10% from £321 billion in 2006, according to the report. Credit and charge card spending in 2007 totaled £133 billion, up 6% from £126 billion in 2006, the report states. "The report also shows that last year debit cards even gained ground in areas where credit cards have traditionally had a firm hold, particularly on the Internet," APACS spokesperson Sandra Quinn said in a statement. Check payments decreased 1%, to £194 billion in 2007 from £196 billion the previous year. By 2017, APACS predicts, consumers will make 9 billion debit card payments. They used debit cards to make 4.9 billion purchases in 2007, the report says.
