The shopping activities of Slovaks have shifted to the online environment, where the number of purchases via credit cards in April increased by almost 25%, when compared to March, according to Home Credit company. Conversely, the number of withdrawals from ATMs dropped by 23% year-on-year. Slovaks also spent much less money on travel, including on fuel and fares, with this area recording a yearly drop of 61%.
"Given that many establishments and restaurants had to close down ... last month we registered a drop of 11% year-on-year in payment terminal transactions in Slovakia," stated Home Credit card department head Alessandro Villa. "People are changing their buying habits and learning to make better use of the available options. We'll see in the future whether they'll stick to shopping from home or if they'll return to retail outlets as soon as they open," stated Home Credit Slovakia and Czech Republic spokesperson Linda Bilal.
