EMEA Cash Usage

The Current State of Cash Usage in Europe

Cash usage in Europe varies substantially when analysing individual regions. In Italy, 83% of all POS transactions were paid for by cash, with Germany following at 75% due to their dominant cash-oriented culture, comparative to Sweden at 20%.

Although it is important to acknowledge the engagement of macro-factors in shaping consumer payment preferences; independent of their geographical position in Europe. An example being that Europa identified that individuals in the 18-24 age demographic and those with a lower socio-economic status, conducted a significantly higher proportion of cash payments than non-cash alternatives.

Similarly, it has been recognised POS transactions exceeding €100 are significantly more likely to utilise card payment. This suggests that cash usage and the method of POS transactions in Europe is significantly dependent on the wealth and demographic of a specific region. These findings alone indicate that the fluctuations in regional cash usage throughout Europe are multifaceted, complex and subject to change