Danish supermarkets and pharmacies can now process card payments without internet

Danish shoppers will still be able to pay with cards, mobile wallets, and digital payment apps for at least seven days even if the internet goes down, following the rollout of a new payment contingency system, DR reports.

The solution, announced by Nationalbanken (Denmark’s central bank), covers Danish-issued payment cards from Dankort, Mastercard, and Visa—including physical cards as well as mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay. The system is already operational in most grocery chains and will extend to all pharmacies by September.

“We’ve landed on a technical solution that also allows offline payments via mobile wallets, aligning with Danes’ preferred payment methods,” said Ulrik Nødgaard, director at Nationalbanken and chair of the Betalingsrådet (Payments Council).

The initiative, launched in late 2023, required cross-sector collaboration and new technical infrastructure. Participating retailers include Coop, Dagrofa, Reitan, Salling Group, ABC Lavpris, and Løvbjerg. According to 2023 data from Danmarks Statistik, nine out of ten Danes primarily use cashless payment methods.

The Betalingsrådet, a voluntary forum of payment stakeholders—including Dansk Erhverv, Dansk Industri, and the Danish Ministry of Business—works to ensure secure and efficient payments in Denmark, with Nationalbanken serving as chair and secretariat.