The ease-of-access to cashless payment methods, and the contactless culture brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, has made cashless transactions pretty much the norm. In response to this shift in customer behavior, Alfamart, the first and only Super Minimart chain in the Philippines, will be accepting GCash for all its stores by the end of August.

Currently, there are over 20 million registered GCash users in the Philippines and it is continually growing because some cities used the cashless portal to give aid to those affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

According to Alfamart COO Harvey Ong, expanding the acceptance of GCash payments to other branches is in line with Alfamart’s goal of making shopping convenient and safe for all its customers. “In a post-pandemic society, there is more need for contactless payment options,” Ong said. “We hope to encourage the communities that we serve to use and get used to these cashless options to minimize the need for paper money and coins to exchange hands and limiting physical contact.” Ong further explained.

To date, there are close to 900 Alfamart stores serving Central Luzon, Metro Manila, and South Luzon. Each store is strategically located to cover subdivisions, neighborhoods, and communities so people will have a safe, comfortable, and convenient place to get their everyday needs at supermarket prices.