Is it Illegal to refuse cash in a shop?

20-12-2022 12:36am #1

pretty much what the title says.

I was in a large multinational shop earlier and they refused to take cash. I was pretty shocked and really inconvenienced as i didnt bring my wallet with me.

Is it right or completely wrong

gameoverdude · 20-12-2022 12:37am

It is not.

L1011 · 20-12-2022 12:38am

No. Retailer can take whatever payment form they want. Growing number of places don't take cash as the volume got exceptionally low and its quite expensive to deal with securing/lodging cash, arranging change etc.

"Legal Tender" only exists for payment of a debt (before someone replies mentioning it!)

Vestiapx · 20-12-2022 12:39am

What shop won't take money ?

20-12-2022 12:41am

It's a bit of a farce and it's something i wouldnt like to see more of.

I don't know why a retailer would want everything going digital for obvious reasons

20-12-2022 12:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016529#Comment_120016529

a large multinational in the phone game

L1011 · 20-12-2022 12:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016529#Comment_120016529

Its mostly food service places really - various branded coffee shops particularly but its not chain-wide with them.

O'Briens off-licences didn't take it during lockdown but I haven't seen the signs recently (I also haven't seen anyone use cash there, though).

A number of Dublin bars don't do cash either; generally those targetting younger drinkers. Going to be a long time before auld lads coming in to watch the horses will be paying by card I think!

gameoverdude · 20-12-2022 12:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016536#Comment_120016536

Pray tell?

Take your business elsewhere.

Akrasia · 20-12-2022 12:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016541#Comment_120016541

not as long as you think. One of them will start tapping their phone on the reader and soon enough they'll all be doing it.

(aged 65 and under at least)

PommieBast · 20-12-2022 12:51am

@Corn_Flakes

I don't know why a retailer would want everything going digital for obvious reasons

If it is a sole trader they'll happily take cash as it offers "flexibility" but the smaller chains just don't want the hassle and hazard of keeping a grand or two of float on the premesis.

GerardKeating · 20-12-2022 1:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016536#Comment_120016536

If you accept cash, you need to keep a float so you can make change, and then lodge takings at the end of the night, and get more float to replace the change you gave the customers.

Banks will charge a business when they lodge money, and charge them when they want coin for the float. And (if sensible) will have insurance to cover the cash on prem. These Cash handling cost/fees aint much different from the fees for debit card transactions.

Plus, unless one is planning to be 'creative' with the taxman, audits are easier when thier is no cash.

20-12-2022 1:15am

does the card company not charge something like a fixed charge or 5% or something per transaction ?

L1011 · 20-12-2022 1:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016627#Comment_120016627

Nowhere close to that.

Handling cash is far from free; and when you have small volumes of it the fixed costs end up being a lot more than the card fees.

Mellor · 20-12-2022 1:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016627#Comment_120016627

It varies, but it can be less than 1% for Visa/Mastercard. Amex can e a bit more which is why its less commonly.

For certain businesses it makes sense to be cashless. I'd assume the businesses looked at the costs verses the trade they were doing in cash. There could be some loss in business, but it wouldn't be much.

Peregrinus · 20-12-2022 1:24am

The short answer, already given, is that it's not illegal for a shopkeeper to have a policy of refusing cash.

Shopkeepers will weigh up the costs of handling cash, the costs of electronic transactions, the convenience of customers and other factors and then adopt whatever policy they want in this regard.

Sometimes there are additional factors that affect the calculation — e.g. in food service, butcher's shops and the like it's not a good practice for staff who handle the product also to handle cash. A "card only" policy saves you having to have separate staff for handling cash and for serving the product.

Palmach · 20-12-2022 11:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016632#Comment_120016632

Not true. Card is at the end of the day dearer. There are no end of smug smart Aleks who sneer at cash. Wait till there is a power cut. Or Putin's boys send a virus down the line to Visa. Or you have a joint account and want to get a surprise for the other half. And lastly check out what happened in Canada. The government doesn't like the cut of your jib and freezes your account. It should be compulsory to accept cash. EVERYWHERE.

Allinall · 20-12-2022 11:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017200#Comment_120017200

I'd be interested to see your back up to your "Card is at the end of the day dearer" claim.

The rest of your post belongs in the Conspiracy Theory thread.

GerardKeating · 20-12-2022 11:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120017200#Comment_120017200

Governments freeze account in every country, even here in Ireland, you've heard of CAB right ?

And keeping all your funds in cold hard cash won't stop the goverment, they can just declare the notes invalid, Remember the Northern Bank Robbery ?

And if there is a power cut, most cash registers won't work, so most likley the store would close anyway.

kieranfromclon · 20-12-2022 7:29pm

I was in New Orleans a few years after Katrina and got talking with a local guy. He said that it hadn't been too bad for him but that was because he had cash. ATM's were dead, no card machines. No online banking. Cash is always the safest in that context.

Breezy_ · 20-12-2022 7:57pm

https://www.newstalk.com/news/cashless-society-donohoe-backs-right-to-pay-in-cash-1406890

They'll be forced to accept cash next year.

dbentham · 20-12-2022 9:32pm

It should be the consumer's choice how to pay for goods in the retail sector. There are of course pros & cons to cash & card depending on the situation.

And to help answer the OP's question, the European Central bank (and it's Irish counterpart) subscribe to the 'Eurosystem' which among other things, has a strategy on the acceptance of cash:

https://www.centralbank.ie/consumer-hub/notes-and-coins/eurosystem-cash-strategy

OP: In short, as cited in point 3) of the above strategy, it is not illegal (but rather immoral imo) for retailers to refuse cash - as long as this fact is clearly notified at the point of sale.

Ultimanemo · 20-12-2022 9:39pm

I like to pay cash as much as I can, when I pay cash I feel the "pain" when I pay with plastic I find myself spending more and buying stuff that I can do without

L1011 · 20-12-2022 9:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019287#Comment_120019287

Donohue is no longer the relevant minister. There is zero chance of a requirement to take cash.

Victor · 20-12-2022 10:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120016567#Comment_120016567

The typical float is about €50-60. What 'smaller chain' has branches with 15-40 tills.

PommieBast · 20-12-2022 11:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019742#Comment_120019742

Most of my experience of places not accepting cash is London pubs, who pre-Covid would often have floats of a few grand.

Mimikyu · 20-12-2022 11:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019742#Comment_120019742

How would you get by with a €50 float? When I was managing a bar the floats where €1300 between three tills. This was a good few years ago before card payments where as popular as they are now. I'd always prefer to take card, less cash on the premises, less to count and lodge and doing a report on the card machine takes a few seconds, but I believe it should be the customer's choice.

IRE60 · 20-12-2022 11:36pm

Arrived at a till in a local shop earlier the evening to be told they don't take cash any more - all goods left at the counter where I had placed them - cards are fine - but put a fcuking sign on the door informing customers that it's cards only!

Mimikyu · 21-12-2022 12:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120020106#Comment_120020106

The reverse happened to my wife recently, she went to a new hairdresser's and copped they didn't take card during her cut when she seen numerous people trying to pay by card and being told you'll have to go to the ATM. No signs up which you would expect if a business deals only in cash or card .