Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards Used in Transactions Worth $849 Billion

New York, May 25, 2007 — Co-branding has entered its late adolescence and is now a fixture of American marketing and the global payments industry. According to Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S., a new report from market research publisher Packaged Facts, by the end of 2006 roughly 30-60 million U.S. consumers carried over 320 million co-branded and affinity credit cards, up from Packaged Facts estimate of 212 million in 2003. Consumers used co-branded and affinity cards in at least 9.4 billion transactions worth at least $849 billion.

With over three-quarters of U.S. adults (pretty much the entire credit worthy adult population) owning at least one credit and debit card, co-branded and affinity card marketers are seeking to fashion programs to attract new or under-penetrated consumer segments. Card industry professionals are taking fresh looks at ethnic groups and the affluent on the one hand, as well as the non-affluent and unbanked consumer. In most segments, including airlines and hotels, the big customer lists have been thoroughly mined, leaving little room for further penetration.

“There are literally thousands of co-branded and affinity card programs on offer and some sectors are thoroughly saturated,” notes Don Montuori, the publisher of Packaged Facts. “Yet most of the experts believe that co-branding still has strong growth potential. Co-branded debit cards, for example, are just in their infancy, and it’s not uncommon to see debit issuers cross selling other products, making the value of the co-branded card all the more important.”

Co-Branded and Affinity Credit Cards in the U.S. provides a comprehensive look at the U.S. market for co-branded and affinity cards, including key players, a survey of recent and ongoing litigation and regulations, market share of major issuers, as well as leading growth and marketing trends. The report also examines the latest co-branded products and technology, particularly contactless technology. This report can be purchased directly from Packaged Facts by visiting: http://www.packagedfacts.com/Branded-Affinity-Credit-1293829. It is also available at MarketResearch.com.

About Packaged Facts
Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer industries, including consumer goods and retailing, food and beverage, and demographics. For more information visit www.PackagedFacts.com, or contact Tom Ehart at 240-747-3014, or tehart@marketresearch.com.