Carrefour and PowaTag Partner for Charity Telethon

powatagFrench chain Carrefour, one of the worlds largest retailers, has partnered with PowaTag to introduce beacon technology into 50 of its biggest supermarkets in France as part of an annual telethon aimed at raising money for muscular dystrophy.

The beacon technology is aimed at making it easier and more convenient than ever for customers to donate to charity, as well as raising awareness for one of the most important charitable events in France.

The Telethon brings together more than 5m donators, 200,000 volunteers and 70 national partners, of which Carrefour is one of the largest. The Telethon has run in early December since 1987, and is supported by events across France, along with coverage on several of Frances TV networks and national radio stations.

The in-store beacon solution will enable the public to make donations easily and securely via their mobile phones with only two taps.

“We are delighted to be able to offer the public a new way to donate to the Telethon via their mobile phone,” said Michaël Sanrey, charity partnerships manager at Carrefour France. “With PowaTag, donating to a great cause is literally a matter of seconds. We are certain that through this innovative technology the volumes of donations will break the record this year.”

“This campaign has a dual interest for Powa Technologies,” said Jean-Marie Dessaignes, general manager at Powa Technologies. “It not only launches the first use of the give now feature in France, but its also the first live partnership with Carrefour.

“We hope it will be the beginning of a long-term collaboration, which has the potential to revolutionise the French retail landscape by offering a more seamless and convenient experience to Carrefours customers, whether it is to donate to charities or for their everyday shopping.”