Will yesterday's fiasco make supermarkets change their cards only policy?

I think all businesses should be told they must take cash or cards.

Sometimes they demand card only, other times cash only. Cash may be preferred by small businesses because the payment takes a little time to process, and there is a fee payable by the business on every transaction. Card may be preferred for security reasons - particularly if there are substantial amounts of money involved - no need to risk carrying large amounts of cash to the bank. Or, on a more cynical note, businesses may demand cash only, to avoid paying the full amount of tax due.

If all businesses start switching to card only, then they won't care if there are breakdowns with the system because customers still have to buy things but they will just have to wait because they will have no other choice. A bit worrying really.

I have no idea why you would do that, but in well over 50 years Barclays has served me, and also my husband, very well. We have absolutely no complaints. Beware the knee jerk reaction. You may live to regret it.

Hymnbook

I shall change my bank if Barclays buy Santander.
I've been with Santander since 1979
When we had our butchers shop Barclays did not treat us well they'd weren't helpful at all.

I started an account in 1971 with the Leicester Building Society which became The Alliance and Leicester and eventually got taken over by Santander. If Barclays makes a bid for it then I'm off to another bank. And not NatWest either: it has an even shittier reputation than Barclays.

The bigger the better? Quite the opposite.

They have some formula they use. The taxpayer can always challenge it. You never know if the diner or person having a haircut is an undercover tax inspector. They also have ways of estimating how much prostitutes earn, how they get that information I have no idea!

Barleyfields

Ah well, HMRC have a way of estimating how much people receive in tips.

How would they know that? not everyone pays a tip, especially young people.

An older lady in our local Sainsburys was trying to pay for groceries with cash, the young lady behind the till was tut- tutting 🙄 I said you treated that person like they were committing a crime, well she said, she’s holding up the queue!
it’s no crime to want to pay with cash, I said. I left my trolly & walked out in disgust.

Ah well, HMRC have a way of estimating how much people receive in tips.

TerriBull

I thought all supermarkets take cash and so they should. Restaurants often don't take cash, Cote always remind customers of that. Like most I got out of the habit of using cash during Covid, but
I hope cash doesn't become obsolete that could become a massive disadvantage to many.

I bank with Barclays, as yet, haven't had a problem.

Our local restaurant wanted card payment but a tip payed in cash 🙄

I shop at Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and sometimes Morrisons, depending on how I feel and what I want. All of those stores still take cash without question. I also use smaller local stores like the chemist, convenience store and greengrocers and they all take cash too. Additionally I go out for pub/restaurant lunches to a variety of places and they don't raise an eyebrow at cash. I don't go to Starbucks or fast food places, so maybe they have stopped as their selling point is fast service.

Primrose yes the trades you mentioned prefer cash , unfortunately much of which will go straight into their pockets a not be declared to HMRC .

The saying ‘cash is king’ has nothing to do with notes and coins.

Cash is King. Ask Bank of Dave and even Martin Lewis. I use card payments sometimes and know how it works and I prefer cash as I know what is going on.

Some people have made their money and have plenty of savings. Someone who has been self employed won’t have an occupational pension and they may not have invested in a private pension.

fancythat
And it depends on whether they have a work pension or not
Not always. We were able to retire in 2004. My partner was 55 and I was 58.

My supermarket takes cards and cash. If there is some sort of IT problem they take cash only or other cards besides the cards affected by IT problem.

I think we all know that!

Barleyfields

I use both, but wouldn’t want to be seen peeling notes off a big wad. Foolhardy in the extreme.

It’s not just the Cash Machines the scanners and tills are also connected online a breakdown or power cut stops everything working.

I use both, but wouldn’t want to be seen peeling notes off a big wad. Foolhardy in the extreme.

I use both- but sometimes the cash machines don't work either...maybe back to mattress bank?

If shops refuse cash, I shop elsewhere. It is our legal currency after all. I do use cards of course but you should always be given a choice. Once we are a cashless society, they will introduce charges for using cards no doubt!

I thought all supermarkets take cash and so they should. Restaurants often don't take cash, Cote always remind customers of that. Like most I got out of the habit of using cash during Covid, but
I hope cash doesn't become obsolete that could become a massive disadvantage to many.

I bank with Barclays, as yet, haven't had a problem.

Do you stop to think about the safety of the staff of the staff who have to take the cash to the bank, or those living over the shop if there’s a break-in?

Cash is King! I use shops and pubs that accept cash. Those that don't accept cash can do wothout my custom. [The last time I had a problem was in a pub. I ordered a round of drinks then when it came time to pay I offered cash. The barman snootily said, 'We don't do cash, it is the 21st century after all.'

I have been with Barclays since I first opened a bank account. So has my husband. Never had any problem whatsoever with them, and in fact when I was going through a very difficult time they were understanding, supportive and helpful.

They are not the only bank to have had an IT glitch like this and they won’t be the last. Of course if you don’t want to carry enough money for a big supermarket shop, and I wouldn’t want to, there’s always the good old fashioned cheque if the shop will take one.

It’s a salutary lesson not to leave paying your tax at the eleventh hour, nor to agree to moving house on a Friday.

Me too. I’ve been with Santander since they took over A&L, and I can’t fault them. There’s no way I’m transferring to Barclays.