Would you use an app to pay for petrol?

Ever stumbled out of a petrol station clutching a triple CD of 1970s power ballads, a Bruce Willis film on Blue-Ray and a family bag of Revels – all accompanied with a lingering sense that you’ve squandered £25 on stuff you neither want nor need?

Why do we do that?

But the temptation to pick up overpriced treats when paying for fuel could become a thing of the past, thanks to a mobile payment initiative from Shell and PayPal.

’Appy days

Drivers can now use an app to pay for their fuel without having to leave the car while at a Shell station. You can see the benefits for anyone in a hurry, or parents with kids in the car.

Using the Shell Motorist app or the PayPal app, drivers entering the forecourt simply select the corresponding pump on the app, scan its QR code, and fill the tank. Once refuelling is complete, a receipt is sent to the phone to confirm the payment has gone through.

Initially mobile payments will only be available for Shell Driver’s Club members through either app, but wider roll-out is expected later this year.

Pump action

Rob Harper, director of mobile commerce at PayPal UK, said: “We’ve created a simple and secure way to use your mobile phone to pay at the pump nationwide. We’ve always believed people will use their mobile phones to pay if there’s a clear benefit. Now we’re offering drivers a faster way to fill up their car and pay, and get back on the road.”

Would you use an app to pay for petrol? Let us know…

Would you use an app to pay for petrol?