Cash payments rise as businesses ask customers to pay
More than half of people surveyed in the UK said a business had encouraged them to pay in cash during the past eight weeks. The Link-commissioned survey found…
LONDON — Businesses asking people pay in cash is becoming a familiar experience for shoppers in the UK, with more than half of those surveyed saying a business had encouraged them to use cash in the past eight weeks. The findings matter to customers choosing how to pay and to small businesses seeking to keep cash transactions available.
Three-quarters of people who were asked to pay in cash said they completed the purchase with coins or banknotes, according to research commissioned by Link, an ATM and cash access network. The survey indicates that a prompt can translate into a completed cash sale.
The encouragement took different forms: a sign saying a business accepts or prefers cash, or a direct question asking whether a customer could pay that way. The research covered visits to cafes and restaurants, independent shops, hairdressers, barbers and beauty salons, outdoor markets, pubs, retail shops and supermarkets.
Cash requests vary across the UK
Northern Ireland recorded the highest reported likelihood of being encouraged to pay in cash: 69% said they had encountered such a request. Among people there who were asked, 88% said they completed their purchase in cash.
People in Scotland and Wales were also likely to follow a request. Of those asked, 82% in Scotland and 78% in Wales said they paid with cash.
The distinction matters. The survey reports both whether shoppers encountered encouragement and whether those who were asked actually used cash; the regional figures on completed purchases do not describe every shopper in those nations.
Small choice, real impact.
For customers, the results show that cash remains a practical option at a range of everyday businesses, while a request to pay with banknotes or coins may affect how a transaction is completed. For independent retailers and service businesses, the reported willingness of many customers to comply suggests cash remains useful at the till. The research does not say why individual businesses prefer cash or how often they make such requests.
Link says cash access remains important
Graham Mott, Link’s director of strategy, said the results showed that cash continued to be a practical choice for millions and that many small businesses were actively encouraging its use. He said that made a resilient ATM network more important.
“It’s also fascinating to see when prompted, most people are happy to pay with cash and still choose it for certain retailers and services,” Mott said.
YouGov surveyed more than 2,100 people across the UK between September 10 and 11 for the research. Link commissioned the survey. Its results capture reported experiences and payment choices, rather than a count of all cash transactions made by UK businesses.
Among people who had been asked, three-quarters said they completed their purchase using coins or banknotes.
Source: mirror.co.uk
