Highlights:
- Sainsbury’s (LON:SBRY) has sold its ATM business to NoteMachine, maintaining around 1,370 ATMs across the UK.
- The transition is expected to finalize by May 2025, ensuring continued free cash access for customers.
- The sale follows Sainsbury's earlier divestiture of its core banking business to NatWest, emphasizing a focus on retail growth.
Sainsbury's (LON:SBRY) has announced the sale of its ATM business to NoteMachine, a subsidiary of Brink’s Company and one of the UK’s prominent ATM operators, with the financial details of the transaction remaining undisclosed. This strategic move marks a significant transition in Sainsbury's banking operations, allowing NoteMachine to take over the management and ownership of approximately 1,370 ATMs situated across the nation.
Under the agreement, all existing ATMs will continue to operate at their current locations, ensuring that customers maintain access to cash without interruption. The transition is set to unfold over the coming months, with a completion date anticipated by May 2025. This arrangement not only streamlines Sainsbury’s banking operations but also establishes a shared commission income stream between the two companies, thereby reducing operational costs for Sainsbury's.
Sainsbury’s Chief Executive, Simon Roberts, expressed satisfaction with the deal, highlighting the company’s commitment to providing free cash access to customers while simultaneously simplifying its banking business. Roberts emphasized confidence in NoteMachine as a suitable partner, reinforcing the importance of customer access to cash at all locations.
Steve Makaritis, CEO of NoteMachine, shared his enthusiasm regarding the agreement, stating that it aligns with the company’s mission to enhance banking convenience and accessibility. Makaritis underscored the significance of expanding the ATM network, which aims to improve service delivery in both urban and rural settings.
This announcement follows Sainsbury's earlier decision in June to divest its core banking operations, which included a portfolio of credit cards, personal loans, and savings accounts valued at approximately £2.5 billion, to NatWest. This prior move was part of Sainsbury's strategy to concentrate on expanding its primary retail business, reflecting a shift in focus towards core operations.
With the latest transaction, Sainsbury's is positioned to strengthen its retail framework while leaving ATM management to a specialist provider, thereby optimizing its resources and customer service offerings.