Remembrance Day Poppies to Support Contactless Payments

Need to Know

• The Royal Canadian Legion has partnered with HSBC Bank Canada for “Pay Tribute” tap-enabled donation boxes.
• Canadians can purchase poppies using tap-enabled debit or credit cards, as well as payment solutions such as Apple Pay.
• 250 “Pay Tribute” donation boxes will be available across the country, alongside the Royal Canadian Legion’s traditional donation boxes.

Analysis

This year, Canadians will be able to pay for their Remembrance Day poppies using contactless payment methods, as the Royal Canadian Legion has partnered with HSBC to develop “Pay Tribute” tap-enabled donation boxes.

The boxes, which will be available on October 30, when the Legion begins its annual poppy drive, accept contactless payment forms including tap-enabled debit and credit cards, as well as smartphone payment processors such as Apple Pay. Canadians can choose to donate $2 by placing their card or smartphone on a glowing poppy, which is on the front of a box of poppy pins that Canadians can then take to wear.

“We are excited to present this new way to make it easier for Canadians to donate during the National Poppy Campaign,” Thomas D. Irvine, Dominion President, the Royal Canadian Legion, said in a statement. “We are pleased to partner with HSBC Bank Canada on this innovative initiative and hope that it will grow in the years to come.”

The Royal Canadian Legion’s annual poppy campaign raises funds to support veterans and their families. The 2018 campaign saw 19 million poppies distributed, and more than $15 million dollars raised.

“I can’t think of a more honorable community to support,” Larry Tomei, Executive Vice President and Head of Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC Bank Canada, said of the partnership. “We’re proud to work with the Royal Canadian Legion, to help serve the veterans that served our nation at time of conflict and while maintaining peace.”

In addition to its regular donation boxes, the Royal Canadian Legion will be distributing 250 “Pay Tribute” donation boxes across Canada when the annual poppy campaign begins on October 30.

In implementing contactless payment, the Legion joins a number of other businesses that have prioritized frictionless transactions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, Coca-Cola introduced QR-enabled drink pouring, a pour-by-phone feature that delivers drink options via Coca-Cola’s Freestyle beverage dispensers. A month later, in August, Waze launched contactless payment at Exxon, Shell, and Mobil gas stations. Amazon, meanwhile, announced Amazon One, a pay-by-palm device to be implemented at Amazon Go stores.