• Pick n Pay has announced a partnership with Luno to allow customers to pay for their groceries with Bitcoin.
• The purchases are facilitated via QR codes, simplifying what was in place previously.
• Cryptocurrency has been accepted by Pick n Pay since February this year.

Addressing the venn diagram that is Pick n Pay customers and cryptocurrency investors, the South African retailer has announced that it is streamlining the process for purchasing groceries via Bitcoin.

This as it has announced a partnership with Luno allowing you to purchase at a Pick n Pay by simply scanning a QR code.

Those who have been keeping an eye on Pick n Pay’s embracing of crypto will know that the retailer has been accepting digital currencies at more than 1 500 locations since February this year, but the payment process required customers to download two apps to make a single crypto payment.

Luno explains that in the coming week, wallet-based Bitcoin payments will be possible at Pick n Pay hypermarkets, supermarkets, Express stores, and Pick n Pay Clothing outlets.

“Customers can buy groceries and other value-added services, such as airtime, lights and bus tickets, and pay municipal bills with Bitcoin at the till. Luno does not charge its customers a fee to use the service,” the crypto exchange platform added in a press release sent to Hypertext.

“To make it quick and easy, Luno customers will simply open their Luno app and scan a QR code at the till to pay in Bitcoin. Luno employees were first to test the in-app QR scanner which will be available at the tills in a week. The very first purchase – watched with interest by Lunauts (those who work at Luno) via a live webcast – was a box of Ouma rusks,” explained Christo de Wit, Luno country manager for SA.

De Wit also highlighted that the new QR code-based functionality was made possible thanks to a partnership with CryptoConvert.

“As the pioneer in crypto payments in South Africa, we are thrilled to partner with Luno, an established and trusted crypto app, to ensure that customers have access to a growing network of retailers and merchants who accept crypto payments,” added CryptoConvert founder Carel van Wyk.