The Ikea store in Eindhoven is testing the consequences of not letting people pay in cash any more. If successful, the test may be expanded to other Dutch stores too.
Safer
The Ikea store in the south of the Netherlands has stopped accepting cash as of Monday. The furniture giant has told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that it is just a test for now, but if results are good, it may be expanded to the whole of the Netherlands.
The chain had noticed that most of its customers pays by card anyway, leading to the current test. Banning cash payments offers a few benefits for the retailer: it is safer and according to certain surveys only accepting electronic payments may be cheaper as well.
Despite the fact that electronic payments are on the way up in Belgium as well, a similar test will not be performed across the border any time soon: the law makes it obligatory to accept payments in cash as well (with a few exceptions).
