How The French are Successfully Fighting Back Against a Cashless Society
Mon 11:45 am +01:00, 19 Jun 2023 2
In France for three months now…Their approach to digital banking is simply fantastic. I’d like to share a bit about it.
A very well-known supermarket here decided to go cashless.
A group of 50 people got together and agreed that they would all do a big shop on the same day. Pilling their trolleys to the brim and each person getting to the checkout – the human check out, not the machines – and having everything scanned before bringing cash out.
The staff were absolutely overrun. There management in a complete tizz, everyone repeatedly, calmly and in a very organised and polite fashion acting as if they knew nothing. No edges, no rudeness, no humiliation.
Offering No other method of payment than cash, willing to leave their trolleys behind if cash was not accepted…The supermarket reinstated cash.
Petrol stations: filling up with fuel then only having cash to pay.
Restaurants: groups of friends going out for dinner and nobody taking phones or credit cards, only cash…They are doing it in every single area of France. Simply refusing to be part of it.
The reason it works is because it’s organised in large groups. One person here and another there doesn’t work. It needs to be really carefully constructed.
I do my main shopping in France in an organic supermarket. I used to pay with my card but for months now have been drawing out cash to pay for my groceries and my lunch, as the supermarket has a little restaurant.
If people couldn’t use cash, how would they be able to tip the restaurant personnel?
Good for you Belyi. Yes a good point about tips. They may try to set the price with gratuities included, but I doubt the staff will get their fair share!!