The Need for the Payment Choice Alliance
There is a growing recognition that acceptance of cash has become a massive issue in the UK.
A trickle of “cashless” businesses started to appear five years ago, following on from the news in 2014 that, under Mayor Boris Johnson, London buses were to go “cashless”.
The Pandemic turned the trickle into a wave, with many businesses using the excuse of what proved to be a non-existent health risk to refuse to accept cash.
Today, “cashless” is to be found almost everywhere.
Pubs; restaurants; coffee shops; leisure centres; football clubs; car parks - a fad that was initially confined mainly to London is now threatening to spread around the whole UK.
Mainstream grocery retailing has not fallen into “cashless” trap as yet. However, signs are not promising, with, for example, self-checkouts sometimes not offering cash payment as an option.
It is against this backdrop that the Payment Choice Alliance has been created.
Our Mission:
- Customers deserve a payment choice
Whether it's cash or card, customers should have the right to choose what works best for them. - Banks have a duty to support everyone
Financial services must not ignore the needs of vulnerable people; all communities deserve a free cash deposit and withdrawal machine. - We need innovation in the cash sector
People should be able to do more with their cash; we're asking for better technology that gives everyone opportunities to use their cash when they choose.
The top priority of the Alliance is to ensure the British public get the Payment Choice they deserve. The Alliance believes that will only be achieved when a law is on the statute books establishing the right of everyone in the UK to choose how they pay; and, in particular, that they can use their cash, when and where they choose.
To halt and then reverse the trend towards “cashless”, a strong push in the opposite direction is required.
That push will come from The Payment Choice Alliance.
