Being able to carry out safe shopping online often comes down to having access to secure payment options at the checkout, which is why convenience chain Co-op has announced plans to reduce the likelihood of fraud during e-commerce transactions, according to Internet Retailing.

Over the years, Co-op has headed up payment innovation at its bricks and mortar stores, and it is seeking to follow the same path with its online offerings, rolling out services in conjunction with tech firm ACI.

All customer payments will be encrypted, and those who are signed up to the official loyalty card scheme will also benefit from an integrated digital wallet service which is hosted in the cloud to ensure that it is well shielded from the advances of cyber criminals.

Its latest acquisition is a fraud prevention solution which operates in real time to detect any attempted subversion of its online payment platform and keep customers safe while rooting out any vulnerabilities before they are exploited by malicious third parties.

Company spokesperson Dave Robertson said that modern consumers were looking for online shopping experiences which were fast, convenient and easy to use, while the retailers offering them need to put security at the top of the agenda to deliver on these expectations without leaving themselves open to attacks.

He said that shoppers need to be made aware of the risks they face while also having confidence in the companies they trust to handle their online transactions.

As fraudsters are always adjusting their tactics and updating their methods, retailers need to be agile in the same way so that they can rise to the challenge. Co-op is one of many brands taking fraud seriously and making sure to protect customers who want to shop online, whether via mobile apps or from its website.