Circle K expands its 'Pay by Plate' technology to Sweden

After a successful pilot in Norway, licence plate recognition technology is now being introduced across their network in Sweden.

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has introduced Pay by Plate in Sweden and plans to expand it across its Circle K network.

This announcement makes Circle K the first fuel retailer to introduce this technology across a full national network, according to the company. Pay by Plate is an innovative payment technology, which will enable Circle K customers to pay for fuel using sign recognition and a mobile app.

Customers simply drive onto the forecourt, fill up with fuel and, through number plate recognition, pay for the fuel on the Circle K Easy Fuel app.

Pay by Plate, which has been piloted successfully in select Circle K stores in Norway, officially launches in Sweden on April 22. The plan is to roll out across wider parts of the Circle K network in the coming years.

"At Circle K, we know the forecourt of today is not the forecourt of tomorrow and we are committed to evolving the forecourt experience for our customers through innovation. The need for change and a move towards a more frictionless forecourt experience is driven by the clear changes we see in consumer behaviour,” said Deb Hall Lefevre, Chief Information Officer, Circle K.