The changes include a “pay now” or “buy now” option which will allow Klarna users to pay for items in full right away. The introduction of this new feature follows criticism that the use of “buy now, pay later” services encourages people into debt. 

Klarna, like similar services, offers its users the opportunity to delay or spread the cost of a purchase without being charged interest or fees. This is especially appealing to young and low-income shoppers who may have a harder time meeting the repayment. Critics of the platform also say that people are bombarded with messages and adverts urging them to use the “pay now, pay later” service without there being a straightforward explanation of how the service works and what it involves.

Klarna says that its new feature, as well as other changes, will give customers greater control and clarity. The company also said that it would be performing more thorough checks on how much users can realistically afford to borrow and will begin to use clearer language during the checkout process to protect users. 

While it is a new introduction for the UK, Klarna’s “pay now” option already exists for customers in several other countries.