Over 97% of Australian survey respondents supported requiring businesses to accept cash when purchasing essential goods, according to a CHOICE survey of more than 12,000 consumers.
The Federal Government said in November it would require businesses to accept cash for essential goods like groceries and petrol, beginning in January 2026. Submissions on the policy closed earlier this month.
“Ensuring ongoing access to cash is an issue that urgently needs addressing, with our survey showing that 83% of respondents still use cash for essential goods and services sometimes, usually or always,” said CHOICE head of policy Tom Abourizk.
“Cash must be accessible, accepted by businesses selling essentials, and consumers should be able to pay with cash without any surcharges.”
As well as 83% of respondents saying they used cash to pay for essential goods, 97% of those living in country or remote areas reported that decreasing access to cash would impact them.
CHOICE’s submission on the government’s cash acceptance policy recommended requiring businesses selling essential goods to take cash, banning surcharges on cash payments, and improving access to cash in some areas.
Around 13% of in-person transactions were made with cash in 2022, with its use rising particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, cash was used in 32% of transactions.
The Reserve Bank of Australia found in 2022 that the percentage of high cash users in regional areas had fallen to under 10% over the previous three years. Australians above the age of 65 had the largest proportion of high cash users, at 18%.
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