A host of leading retailers – including Marks & Spencer and Boots – are among those set to adopt Apple’s new Pay system when it launches in the UK next month.

Apple Pay will allow customers to use their iPhone or Apple Watch to make a contactless payment. The much-heralded UK roll out of Apple Pay was revealed at the tech firm’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco today.

The list of UK retailers that will offer the service includes: Boots, JD Sports, Liberty, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, New Look, Spar and Waitrose, Apple revealed.

Apple Pay was first unveiled in the US last October.

Transport for London will also accept Apple Pay. In total around 250,000 locations will offer the service, which will cover 70% of debit and credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard.

Marks & Spencer boss Marc Bolland said: “We are proud be one of the first retailers to introduce Apple Pay at our stores across the UK.” He added it would offer customers “a seamless and secure” way of paying for items.  

Boots’ president Simon Roberts said: “Offering our customers and patients new, innovative store experiences is at the heart of our strategy, and we know our customers increasingly want faster payment options. Apple Pay will make it even quicker, easier and more secure to pay in our stores.”

According to reports, the take up of Apple Pay has been limited in the US, partly because Walmart has yet to sign up to the scheme.

A number of leading UK retailers have already been working with Apple on developing apps for the Apple Watch.

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