CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. this month launched a pilot to test contactless payments, becoming the latest mass retailer to adopt technology that’s become increasingly popular with shoppers since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kroger introduced contactless payments across its Bellevue, Wash.-based QFC supermarket division, allowing customers to pay at checkout using a contactless chip card, or a mobile phone equipped with either a banking app or a digital wallet service such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or Kroger Pay.

“The contactless payment solution will help make life easier for many of our customers and provide the freedom of choice among various options, including cash, debit, credit and check,” said Chris Albi, president of QFC. The division oversees 64 stores in the Puget Sound region and in Portland, Ore.

The QFC pilot supports the more than 30 policy and process changes Kroger has implemented since the start of the pandemic to promote social distancing and safeguard associates, customers and communities. These include improvements to its Scan, Bag, Go technology that lets shoppers scan their groceries using their mobile device, bag their own items and pay via the Kroger app. Kroger’s own touchless mobile payment solution, Kroger Pay, binds a customer’s payment and loyalty cards and helps streamline the user’s checkout ­experience.

Other supermarket chains are deploying similar technologies to help allay consumers’ health and hygiene concerns during the pandemic. Publix Super Markets in April rolled out contactless pay to all its stores as part of a broader campaign to protect the health and well-being of its customers and employees.

Shoppers across the globe are embracing contactless payments, according to “COVID-19 Consumer Mobile Payment Insights,” a report from Strategy Analytics. China is by far the mobile payments leader, with more than half of Chinese consumers preferring mobile payment over cash or cards, according to the report.