Cinemas, pharmacies and car parks lead pin-only revolution
The number of shops, restaurants, and cinemas that no longer accept cash continues to rise, the Dutch central bank said on Tuesday.
Spot checks on 5,000 sales points nationwide revealed that 4.8% no longer accept cash, compared with 4.5% in 2023. It is legal to refuse cash as long as customers are made aware of the policy before entering.
Cinemas, pharmacies, and car parks are leading the way, the central bank said, with 38%, 21%, and 21% respectively accepting only digital payments.
Pin-only outlets are primarily found in big cities. In towns of more than 175,000, one in 10 of the sales points checked by central bank researchers were cash-only. However, in villages, the figure was one in 100.
There were also significant regional differences. Pin-only stores were most common in Flevoland and Noord-Holland, while in Zeeland, every sales point accepted cash.
Earlier this year, finance minister Eelco Heinen published legislation requiring the major banks to maintain a network of cash machines, ensuring that everyone has access to an ATM within five kilometres.
“Cash payments are important for a large group of people who have difficulty navigating the digital payment system or would prefer to pay with cash for other reasons,” he said at the time. “They are also crucial when there is a disruption to pin payment systems.”
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