Coles and Woolworths Ire Shoppers: Australian Issue Goes Viral

It's becoming progressively harder to make payments with cash at supermarkets.
Approximately 1.5 million Australians depend on using cash.
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Customers who favor using cash are experiencing feelings of discrimination at Coles and Woolworths as it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid paying by card.

In recent years, the availability of cash payment options at self-service checkout counters has decreased, with more stores opting for card-only machines, even though studies indicate that cash continues to be a crucial payment method for numerous Australians.

'Melbourne-based financial journalist and CashWelcome campaign manager Jason Bryce told Daily Mail Australia that both Coles and Woolworths show bias against customers who use cash, which is widely recognized and happens daily.'

They claim to offer support from their staff members, yet when asked about payment methods—"Cash or card?"—those who opt for cash often find themselves waiting in line for 15 minutes just to use one or two available terminals.

If you claim to pay with a card and therefore bypass the queue without any wait, this is clear discrimination against millions of Australians.

Mr Bryce said that at his local Coles in Williamstown, only two checkouts accept cash, while 14 are set up for card payments only.

At the same time, he mentioned that his nearby Woolworths has somewhat more payment stations that take cash, yet they still make up roughly four or five among the total twenty self-service checkout lanes.

'I have to wait longer to pay for my shopping, that's clear discrimination,' he argued.

Mr. Bryce explained that he wishes to keep being able to 'plan his budget using cash.'

"He mentioned that none of us can evade visiting the supermarket, hence they must enhance their efforts to accommodate the payment methods people prefer," he said additionally.

He has started a petition The petition demanding mandatory cash acceptance by key stores and ensuring local access to cash for Australians has gathered more than 200,000 signatures.

In September 2023, Woolworths implemented a new cap of $200 for EFTPOS cash withdrawals, whereas Coles set an identical limit in March 2024.

The campaigner stated that this is unjust for "the millions of Australians who manage their finances using cash and depend on it daily."

According to the latest Consumer Payments Survey conducted by the Reserve Bank of Australia, the proportion of consumer transactions carried out using cash has decreased from approximately 70% in 2007 to just 13% in 2022.

Nevertheless, seven percent of participants relied on cash for 80 percent or more of their physical transactions, which equates to approximately 1.5 million Australians aged 18 and above.

A representative from Coles stated: "We do not agree with these allegations. We understand that cash continues to be a crucial payment option for certain customers, and we have no intentions of eliminating cash self-service alternatives."

If any of our customers struggle to locate their desired checkout method, we consistently have staff members available in the service area ready to assist them.

Contact has been made with Woolworths for their input.