Based on the strategies of SAMA regarding payment systems and the Financial Sector Development Program aimed at enhancing electronic payments and reducing cash transactions, and in continuation of the efforts of the National Anti-Commercial Concealment Program by gradually mandating the retail sector to provide electronic payment methods.

The program, in cooperation with SAMA, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Commerce, has mandated all grocery stores and supply outlets in the Kingdom to provide electronic payment methods starting from 17th of Ramadan 1441H, corresponding to 10th of May 2020G. To ensure the success of the efforts to implement this decision and to guarantee full readiness to meet the expected demand, all banks and payment service providers must comply with the following requirements:

• Readiness to respond to requests for opening bank accounts and electronic wallets for merchants operating in the grocery and supply sector.
• Readiness to receive requests for the provision of electronic payment methods authorized by SAMA (such as Point of Sale devices "POS" or Quick Response "QR" codes) and to respond to these requests through all available channels, including branches, the official website, the unified customer service number, and others, to facilitate this requirement for merchants operating in this sector, while adhering to the regulatory and operational rules for these services.
• Compliance when providing the payment method using the Merchant Category Code designated for this activity, which is: 5411.
• Internal circular of this decision to bank employees and payment service providers to ensure their adequate understanding when receiving requests and inquiries regarding this matter.