Mercadona starts accepting Bizum payments in its supermarkets: how the new system works

Mercadona is testing a new way to pay at the checkout that lets customers use their mobile phones directly. The company has chosen several stores in the province of Soria to trial Bizum Pay, a technology that connects payment to the customer’s bank account without needing a physical card.

The initiative aims to expand payment options in supermarkets and assess whether the system can gradually be introduced in other locations.

How to pay with Bizum at Mercadona

So far, Bizum has mainly been used to send money between individuals, although it also allows payments at certain online retailers.

With Bizum Pay, this option is now available at physical supermarket checkouts.

There are two ways to use the service: either by holding your phone near the payment terminal using NFC technology, or by scanning a QR code to authorise the transaction.

The amount is charged directly to the bank account linked to the service, so there’s no need to present a debit or credit card.

However, to use this feature, the customer’s bank must be compatible and the in-person payment option must be enabled in their banking app.

Which Mercadona supermarkets accept it

The new payment method is currently being trialled in several stores in the province of Soria.

Mercadona is using this pilot to see how the technology performs during normal supermarket activity, especially at busy times.

The company has not yet announced when Bizum Pay might be rolled out to the rest of Spain.

In the meantime, customers can continue to pay using the usual methods, such as cash or bank card.

Which banks allow payment with Bizum Pay

The availability of the service depends on the banks, as each one must add the necessary technology to authorise in-person payments.

Banks mentioned as compatible with this feature include:

CaixaBank.

Banco Sabadell.

Bankinter.

Unicaja.

Abanca.

However, having Bizum activated for sending money does not necessarily mean you can use Bizum Pay in a supermarket. It’s important to check that your banking app allows this type of transaction.

When will Bizum be available at all Mercadona stores

At present, there is no confirmed timeline for a nationwide rollout. The expansion of the service will depend on the results of the trials in Soria and on more banks joining the system.

If the pilot goes well, customers could have an extra option for paying for their shopping using only their mobile phones.

In any case, the introduction of Bizum Pay does not mean cash or cards will be phased out: both methods will remain available during this trial phase.