Cash or card: Aussie shopper takes a swipe at increase in cashless checkouts

With fewer and fewer cash checkouts available these days, one Australian shopper is calling out a major supermarket brand for what appears to be their clear move towards cashless shopping.

Sydney DJ and music producer, Tom Budin, recently took to social media to voice his deep concern about what he sees as Coles’ clear intent to move towards a cashless shopping future.

He recently filmed inside his local Coles, where seven out of the nine self-service checkouts were clearly marked “card only”.

Pointing towards the cash tills in his Tik Tok video he said, “Only two machines left that accept cash and, mark my words, these machines, in my opinion, will be gone by the end of the year.”

“What a world we live in, ladies and gentlemen.”

@tombudinmusic Do you think Coles will be going completely cashless? Comment below #cashless #Australia #cash #society #coles #supermarket #viral ♬ original sound – Tom Budin

On the matter, Yahoo Finance caught up with the coordinator of Cash Welcome — a grassroots campaign created to protect consumers’ rights to use and access cash. Jason Bryce said that Coles was making a “big mistake”.

“I think everyone has noticed a reduction in checkout terminals that accept cash at Coles,” he stated.

“In many Coles stores, staff ask: ‘Are you paying cash or card?’. The cash people always have to wait. The card people always skip to the front.

“This is a big mistake by Coles. Coles is literally pushing us cashless, against our will. People want to be able to choose.

“This is food and groceries we are talking about. Australians need the government to step in, like the UK, France and parts of the USA have done, and protect cash.”