Protecting everyone at the table

For the first time since the pandemic began, Aotearoa New Zealand is learning to live with Covid-19. 

One of the few countries globally to reach a high number of vaccinations before opening up, New Zealand is in a position that has protected many from the wrath of the pandemic.

However, a high number of vaccinations doesn’t mean the pandemic is gone, and the country still must implement solutions that continue to protect the people.

There is already a number of contactless tools delivering protection, from contact tracing apps to vaccine passes and contactless payments. Everywhere you look there is innovative technology serving a purpose. 

But what this new normal often forgets about is the humble receipt, and that’s what RIPA Expenses is out to change.

RIPA enables completely contactless expenses – eliminating the need for a paper receipt and delivering one less shared surface, protecting both merchants and their patrons. 

Customers scan their RIPA QR code at the point of sale and the expense is sent to their accounting software via the RIPA app – the only technology of its kind. 

The expense solution is free for merchants and only enhances the contactless payments experience. 

In a time where social distancing is encouraged, contactless deliveries are the only deliveries and many retailers are “cash-free”, it seems as though paper receipts are one of the last shared surfaces left. But should they be?

Aside from the health and safety risk in a pandemic, 93% of tested paper receipts are laden with BPA and BPS, known carcinogens. 

Paper receipts are one of the most transferable sources of these chemicals. One study found over 88% of BPS exposure for most people comes from handling thermal receipts (Liao et al. 2012).

However, it isn’t always as easy as declining a receipt when asked. Corporate customers need their receipts for reimbursement, and if they need to on-charge the receipt to a client then line-by-line, tax compliant data is required.

Businesses in New Zealand are also required to keep their tax records for seven years – paper-based or electronic. 

So while opting out of a receipt isn't possible for everyone, opting out of a paper receipt is.

It's time to protect everyone at the table.