Credit cards with reward schemes can offer "long-term value" for consumers, says Sainsbury's Credit Cards.

In light of the company's recent research, revealing that over £3 billion would be spent on plastic in this year's summer sales, head of cards Donald MacLeod told how the schemes can help customers get more for their money.

"It's moving it away from being a pure borrowing item … to actually being a transactional product that's rewarding you with every transaction," he said.

Sainsbury's findings indicated that the average person would part with £305.90 this summer, with 42 per cent of all spending expected to be charged to a credit card.

One third of that figure will be spent on clothes, while about 18 per cent will go on home furnishings. Electrical goods will account for 15.5 per cent.

Recent figures from Apacs, the UK payments association, showed that a total of £354.2 billion was charged to debit and credit cards in 2006, with 62 per cent of the adult population possessing a credit or charge card.

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