Woolworths is expanding the trial of cashless Metro stores across Sydney and Melbourne, with nine stores to be cash-free by 12 October.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2019 Consumer Payments Survey found that the share of consumer payments made in cash fell to 27 per cent of the number of payments in 2019, and from around 70 per cent in the 2007 survey.
A Woolworths spokesperson, told C&I that the participating stores were already seeing very few cash transactions but even so, customer feedback would be monitored closely during the trial period.
Metro stores on Bourke St and Elizabeth St in Melbourne, and North Sydney, Manly and York St in Sydney already don’t accept cash, and the same will be rolled out for the stores in Yarraville and Caulfield North in Melbourne and Roseberry in Sydney on October 12.
“As more and more customers choose to pay with cards, we’re trialling all electronic payments in a small selection of Metro stores which currently see very few cash transactions,” said the Woolworths spokesperson.
“We understand cash remains an important payment option for many of our customers and it continues to be offered in all Woolworths Supermarkets and the majority of our Metro stores.
“We will closely monitor the feedback from our customers during this trial.”
Woolworths has 1,050 stores across Australia, meaning that more than 99 per cent of stores continue to accept cash payments.