CASH IS KING
Businesses will be allowed to ONLY accept card payments in ‘slap in the face’ for cash users
The move has attracted sharp criticism from some
UK BUSINESSES will be permitted to refuse cash payments if they choose to do so.
The government has greenlit the move which has been labelled a "slap in the face" for those who prefer paying with bank notes and coins.
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Businesses will no longer be forced to mandate cash payments, Economic Secretary Emma Reynolds confirmed during an appearance before MPs on the Treasury Committee earlier this week.
The committee said it would launch an investigation into the acceptance of cash back in November.
The policy switch received some pushback from those who feel the move would exclude older Brits who were not as digitally capable, as well as domestic abuse victims who have testified that cash is their only escape route.
Reynolds responded by assuring that the government would address both demographics and said she was confident that the UK wouldn't become a cashless society in the distant future.
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Martin Quinn, the director of the , slammed the move as "a slap in the face" for cash users.
He said: "Millions of cash users are being ignored, and if you want to use cash, this Government is basically saying you are a second-class citizen.
"All of this plays into the US credit card companies and payment giants who are making millions of pounds of profit at the expense of individuals who want to use cash and shops and businesses who are at the mercy of ever-increasing card fees."
Meanwhile, 84-year-old Constantine Louis he and many other pensioners will struggle with the change.
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"For older people, when they use cash, they feel as though they are in control," said the 84-year-old, who lives in a one-bedroom flat.
"Young people will get older one day and may have the same problems we have - they may start forgetting their Pin numbers.
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"For those who get on the bus and pay with their mobile - that's fine with me.
"But I can't do it. I don't know how to do it."
The Treasury Committee is expected to make recommendations on cash acceptance in the coming weeks, following an inquiry.
Are supermarkets going cashless?
Some supermarkets are now opting to go completely cashless, but not all of them.
In fact, some of the big chains are only introducing the move in certain stores.
This includes Tesco and Asda who are cutting cash payments in some of their outlets in a bid to cut down on customers having to queue.
The move towards cashless started during the pandemic, when many retailers were forced to go cash-free.
In August 2024, Tesco revealed it would be going cashless at cafés in 40 UK sites.
However, customers will still be given the option to pay by cash in the actual store.
Another supermarket which is starting to introduce a cashless way of life is Asda,
They have already introduced cash-free in 82 of their stores - get the full list here.
Asda has confirmed that customers can still pay by cash in the rest of its outlets, including manned and self checkouts, cafés and concessions.
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Supermarkets who are continuing to take cash payments include Morrisons, Aldi, Waitrose and Co-op.
Sainsbury's has said the vast majority of its stores and petrol stations accept cash payments, but has not said if it will be going cashless.
Law says shops don’t have to accept cash
By Sara Benwell, consumer reporter at The Sun
MOST people think it’s their right to use cash to pay for goods at the shops. But the reality is, that’s not the case.
Even though our pennies and pounds are often referred to as legal tender, it is actually the business owner’s right to decide what payment methods they want to accept.
After an online petition was launched to make it unlawful for shops to refuse cash, the Government confirmed in April that it does not plan to mandate cash acceptance.
Cash transactions remain important to millions, particularly the vulnerable and elderly, but it is the choice of individual businesses.
As we move ever closer to a cashless society, I worry about the elderly and those who are most vulnerable, as many rely on cash for budgeting and it’s easy to overspend when you are using a card.
With so many people still reliant on, or keen to use, notes and loose change, it really does make sense for businesses to continue to accept it.
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