Tesco Malaysia enables e-wallet payments at all food courts

KUALA LUMPUR: Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has enabled e-wallet payments across all its food courts in a move to help its food vendors compete in an increasingly digital market space.

Tesco chief operating officer, Sushmita Paul (pic, below) said e-wallet payments in its food courts would enable its F&B vendors to compete in an increasingly digital-centric market space.

“It will also ensure added safety for our customers as they can minimise contact by going cashless, ” she said in a statement.

Sushmita pointed out Tesco was also supporting the government’s goal in making Malaysia a cashless society.

She added Tesco has long been a supporter of local products and suppliers, and this support is reflected in over 600 local suppliers supplying thousands of products to its network of 62 stores across the country.

“Our support is also extended to all 236 food and beverages (F&B) vendors in our food courts, ” she said.

Tesco is also the country’s largest food court operators where as of September, it is operating 56 food courts out of 62 stores, nationwide.

According to the Mastercard Impact Studies published in June this year, the Covid-19 outbreak has accelerated the rapid adoption of e-commerce, digital payments, and preference for online activities.

The report noted that Malaysia’s e-wallet penetration of 40% is highest in Southeast Asia, with e-wallet being the preferred payment option for those aged below 35.

Two of Tesco’s longest operating F&B tenants, Galaxy Recipe and Kadir Pasembor represent the vendors that are looking forward to the integration of e-wallets into their businesses.

Galaxy Recipe, one of the first F&B tenant to join Tesco the year, was established in 2002. It now operates out of nine Tesco food courts, serving over 40,000 meals a month.

“Younger people these days are keener towards digital payments, rather than cash. We believe that through Tesco’s initiative, it will be a great opportunity to enlarge our customer base, ” said Galaxy Recipe founder, Yong Jeng Yih.

“Security-wise, it is also significantly safer to use digital payments rather than cash as this reduces the risk of cashier errors.”

Kadir Pasembor became a Tesco food court tenant in 2007 and has branched out to 22 Tesco food courts since then.

“Having the e-wallet integration into our business will not only be helpful for security and hygiene reasons because of the Covid-19 pandemic but is also beneficial in keeping our operations lean and focused, ” said founder and sole owner, Tawfik Ahmad Jafarullah Khan.

“This e-wallet integration into Tesco’s food courts is one of the many ways that Tesco continues to help its tenants which include training, encouragement as well as frequent knowledge sharing sessions.”

Tesco’s food courts now accept payments from six different digital providers namely Boost, GrabPay, kiplePay, Touch n Go, MCash, AliPay as well as Maybank QRPay, on top of the more traditional mode of payments such as cash, debit, and credit cards.