The cutting-edge payment method is provided by the fintech company PayEye, in collaboration with Planet Pay.
This initiative marks the first biometric payment pilot in Europe under the Mastercard Biometric Checkout program.
The system at Empik is to operate through a mobile app, where users register their data and payment card numbers once. For the first transaction, the system would require confirmation via PIN or phone number. Then, future payments could be completed by simply ‘looking into’ a designated terminal.
“We are bringing a completely new technology to Poland, advancing biometric systems. For Mastercard, innovation and security are part of our DNA. Biometrics is already part of daily life, and now we can make payments without devices, cards, or phones, which is a significant leap forward,” said Marta Życińska, General Manager of Mastercard Europe in Poland.
She also highlighted Poland’s leadership in modern payment methods.
“In 2007, we were among the first to adopt contactless payments, and now 100% of our transactions are contactless. This is unique globally. While this seems normal to us in Poland, other countries are still adapting. That’s why Poland was chosen as a pioneer for the Mastercard Biometric Checkout program,” Życińska added.
According to Mastercard, 80% of Polish respondents have used biometric security measures, with nearly all individuals aged 18–25 having experience with biometrics.
The three-month pilot program will take place at five locations: Galeria Mokotów in Warsaw, Bielany in Wrocław, Posnania in Poznań, Galeria Kazimierz in Kraków, and M1 in Czeladź.
