'Upset and disbelief': Businesses moving to cashless in Hawke's Bay feel heat from customers

A disability support worker said she was "completely shocked" to discover SaveMart's Hastings store no longer accepts cash payments. Photo / Warren Buckland

More and more Hawke's Bay businesses are saying no to cash for security, safety and sanitation reasons.

Citizen's Advice Bureau say the 'eftpos only' stance is a reflection of where society is heading, and people who only use cash, or have challenges using computers, can struggle.

Jenny Pearce, CAB (Citizens' Advice Bureau) Napier manager, said she was saddened to hear that cash had been declined at popular recycling clothing retailer SaveMart.

"I can only imagine the upset and disbelief it must have caused.''

SaveMart has been contacted for comment.

A disability support worker told Hawke's Bay Today she had paid for items for a client in SaveMart, after the client's cash was declined.

The support worker said the policy raised concerns for the elderly and low income families, who remain big users of cash.

"This must be so restricting. That's their way of living.

"Where do these people go?"

Businesses are allowed to decline cash, if they display a sign, which gives advance notice of the policy to customers.

If the customer is repaying a debt, a business cannot refuse cash.

Pearce said declining cash was becoming more common.

"We don't keep statistics on which companies are not accepting cash, but it is a story we are hearing more and more frequently."

Napier CAB manager Jenny Pearce said she was saddened to hear that cash had been refused to be accepted as payment. Photo / NZME

Pearce said CAB had submitted a recent report to the government about people being digitally excluded from accessing their rights to government agencies.

"A significant number of people do not have access to computers, internet, or the ability to use digital devices," she said, adding this exacerbated the banking and payment issues.

"The issue of a cashless society is going to create further barriers for people who prefer not to use the banking system, have disabilities, live in rural areas, or simply wish to have the freedom that cash provides."

Opera Kitchen manager Matthew Kelly said they had been cashless since the lockdown, due to Covid-19 transmission concerns.

"Ninety per cent of people are only just realising we are cashless which shows just how few people use it."

He said there was also a security aspect to not keeping cash on the premises, though they were flexible and could accept cash in "certain circumstances".

Benny Fernandes of Sparrows Cafe in Onekawa, said they were early adopters of doing away with cash but found there was some pushback from customers initially. Photo / NZME

Benny Fernandes, of Sparrows Cafe in Onekawa, was an early adopter of the cashless move when it opened more than two years ago, but said they'd "copped a lot of flak".

"At the beginning it was really challenging.

"A lot of people use cash as a means of budgeting. It's a real old fashioned way of doing it."

He said many tradies also still carried cash.

"Banks are working hard to get people to shift away from cash," with Fernandes adding it was a "massive pain" to handle cash.

He said it was difficult though and they still accepted cash payments at sister business Georgia On Tennyson, in Napier, due to its popularity as an international tourist spot.

Lotto NZ still pays out winners under $1000 in cash, and can also credit winners' bank accounts via their eftpos card.

A spokesperson said it supported efforts to limit Covid-19 transmission and provided the choice for customers to either make a cashless ticket purchase using eftpos or cash in all Lotto stores that are open around the country.