Shoppers used electronic payment cards to pay for goods and services 2.1 billion times last year – up 8% on the 2009 total.

In particular, the number of pin card payments for goods costing less than €10 rose 16%. This shows the declining popularity of cash, payment processor Currence said.
‘This year or next I expect electronic payments will outstrip cash,’ Currence director Piet Mallekoote told news agency ANP.
Some 57% of all retail sales are still cash payments. The Dutch retail organisation will keep encouraging electronic payments because they are easier for shopkeepers and make them less vulnerable to robbery, the organisation said.