UK consumers spend more than £19,000 a second using credit, debit or cash cards The shift of consumer spending from cash to plastic cards has continued apace in the UK as shoppers opt for contactless low-value payments and online spending. UK consumers spent more than £19,000 every second using credit, debit and charge cards in 2014 as the number of purchases grew by more than a 10th, according to the latest report from the UK Cards Association.