Customers’ use of HSBC Advance VISA credit card has increased by 7.5 per cent over the previous year with significant increase registered at supermarkets, according to head of retail banking and wealth management Andy Ripley.

Mr Ripley spoke of the increased card use during the presentation to five HSBC customers who participated in the HSBC Advance ‘Spend and Win’ Summer Competition. Selected at random from among customers who used their HSBC Advance VISA card to effect purchases in May, Charles Borg, Deborah Ellul, Ian Minuti, Dionne Tonna, and Adrian Bonett won travel and Marks and Spencer vouchers.

The next five HSBC customers will be randomly selected from among those who used HSBC Advance in June.

Until July 31, a virtual ticket is earned for every €100 spent and customers automatically qualify to take part in this competition.

This summer, 10 customers will be selected at random to take part in a general knowledge quiz which will decide who will drive home in a brand new Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet. The other nine participants can win travel vouchers worth €2,000 and €1,000, 40-inch, 36-inch and 32-inch LED TVs, an Apple iPad, an Apple iPhone, an Apple iPod, and a digital camera. For a small monthly fee, HSBC Advance offers free worldwide multi-trip travel insurance, access to HSBC’s unique rewards scheme whereby points earned through credit card spend can be redeemed for Marks and Spencer vouchers or Air Malta KMiles. The Advance Card also provides ‘peace of mind’ with purchase protection covering goods purchased locally, abroad and over the internet.

Details on the competition are available at www.hsbc.com.mt/spendandwin, from Customer Service on 2148 9101, or at any HSBC branch.