The Plunkett Foundation has created a membership scheme for the UK’s 255 community-owned shops and signed a deal with Ethecol Merchant Services to install a card-processing system in each one.

Each shop expects to save around £1,300 per year by using the technology.

The Plunkett Community Shop Network, which launched in mid-March, has been devised by the Plunkett Foundation to help support new shops that are setting up and to meet the ongoing needs of established shops.

Ethecol works with Allied Irish Bank, which will pay commission to the Plunkett Foundation. The Foundation will reinvest that commission into the Network to provide further benefits for members.  Ethecol’s running costs are covered by the payment it receives when each retailer buys or leases the chip and pin terminal.

Ethecol was set up to process credit and debit cards at discounted rates for community enterprises.  Founder Robert Ashton said: “A viable card service is imperative for community shops because people spend more when paying by card, people walk out of shops that don’t accept cards, and cheques are hard work and may soon disappear.”