Coca-Cola® brings fast and convenient refreshment to Canadians with new Interac® payment option

Launching at the Calgary Stampede, Interac Flash™ Contactless Debit technology will be available on vending machines, making it easier and faster to wrangle up and purchase Coca-Cola beverages

CALGARY, July 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Amidst the fanfare of the Calgary Stampede on July 5th, Coca-Cola will be the first company to roll out Interac Flash payment capabilities at vending machines, starting with 16 vending machines located on the park grounds. Attendees of the event will be the first in Canada to experience this unattended retail implementation - just by purchasing the Coca-Cola beverage of their choice at the Coca-Cola and Interac Vending Tower.

"We are pleased to bring the proven convenience, speed and security of Interac Flash to our vending machines at the Calgary Stampede," says John Guarino, President of Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada. "This first-of-its-kind initiative offers consumers the flexibility to pay the way they want for the beverages they love."

Interac Flash, an enhancement of Interac® Debit, is Canada's first and only contactless debit technology. By holding their Interac Flash-enabled debit cards in front of a reader, guests can pay for their Coca-Cola beverage quickly and conveniently, using money from their bank accounts.

By the end of July Interac Flash will be deployed on approximately 4,000 Coca-Cola vending machines across Canada.

"Coca-Cola Canada's decision to offer Interac Flash at its vending machines is an exciting first for Interac debit payments in the vending market," said Mark O'Connell, President and CEO, Interac Association.  "As a leader in the beverage marketplace, Coca-Cola understands the value that Interac Flash offers, particularly to its consumers wanting to pay quickly and securely at its vending machines with funds from their bank accounts."

Interac Flash gives cardholders the choice to pay for smaller value items using debit faster than ever before by simply holding their card at a contactless point-of-sale reader that supports Interac Flash.

Interac Flash uses EMV™ technology and the existing chip debit infrastructure, which protects it from fraud tactics such as copying and "electronic pick-pocketing". It offers strong consumer protections and unique security features, including the fact that the card never leaves the user's hand. Leveraging the trusted Interac brand, cardholders are also protected from unauthorized transactions under the Interac Zero Liability Policy* and merchants continue to receive the benefits of secure and non-refutable transactions associated with PIN based Interac Debit.

About Interac Association
A recognized world leader in debit card services, Interac Association is responsible for the development and operations of the Interac network, a national payment network that allows Canadians to access their money through Interac Cash at 60,000 Automated Banking Machines and Interac Debit at 766,000 point-of-sale terminals across Canada. Interac Flash, a secure contactless enhancement of Interac Debit allows Canadians to pay for items instantly with their Interac chip debit card at a reader that supports Interac Flash. Interac Association was founded in 1984 and is comprised of a diverse membership that includes banks, trust companies, credit unions, caisses populaires, merchants, and technology and payment related companies. Other related services offered by Acxsys Corporation, whose shareholders are the architects of the Interac network, include: Interac Online, for secure online payments made directly from a bank account; Interac e-Transfer™, for the transfer of money from one person's bank account to another person's bank account using an email address or mobile phone number**; and international services, which provide Canadian cardholders with point-of-sale access at nearly 2 million U.S. retailers, and PULSE, Discover, Diners Club International and UnionPay cardholders access to ABMs in Canada.

About Coca-Cola Canada
Coca-Cola in Canada operates in all ten provinces, and employs 6,300 people in more than 50 facilities, including seven production facilities across Canada. We offer a wide variety of beverage brands, many of which come in no-calorie and low-calorie options. These beverages include sparkling soft drinks, still waters, juices and fruit beverages, sports drinks, energy drinks and ready-to-drink teas. Coca-Cola is proud to offer some of the most popular brands in Canada including Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coca-Cola Zero®, Sprite®, Fanta®, Nestea®, PowerAde®, Minute Maid®, Dasani® and vitaminwater®. Coca-Cola in Canada is represented by Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada and Coca-Cola Ltd. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.cocacola.ca and follow us on twitter at @cocacolaco_ca.

Interac, the Interac logo, Interac Flash and Interac e-Transfer are trade-marks of Interac Inc. Used under license. EMV is a trade-mark of EMVCo LLC.

* All Interac cardholders are protected from losses resulting from circumstances beyond their control under the Interac Zero Liability Policy. See your financial institution for details.

**The Interac e-Transfer service, for secure person-to-person payments, is currently available to customers of over 90 banks and credit unions including BMO Bank of Montreal, CIBC, President's Choice Financial, National Bank, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank and TD Canada Trust among others. Central 1, through participating credit unions, offers the option of using mobile phone numbers, in addition to email, to notify Interac e-Transfer recipients. Money never travels by email or text message. More information about the Interac e- Transfer service and a complete list of participating banks and credit unions can be found at www.interac.ca.

SOURCE: Coca-Cola Canada

Deane Code
Environics Communications
416-969-2826
[email protected]

Shannon Denny
Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada
[phone]
[email protected]

Caroline Hubberstey
Interac Association
[phone]
[email protected]