Get free cashback from shops after Brexit

London7766551

Shops could effectively become free cash machines as bank branch closures make it harder to withdraw money.
Ministers want to rip up EU rules that make it hard for shops to offer cashback to customers who don’t buy something.
The closure of many banks and free ATMs means those who live in rural communities must often travel miles to take cash out.
The switch to online banking has accelerated the decline of cash, and coronavirus left some retailers refusing to accept ‘contaminated’ notes that could spread Covid.
In just three years, more than 10,000 free ATMs are thought to have been removed or changed so that fees of up to £2 are charged for withdrawals.
Campaigners have warned that Britain is ‘sleepwalking’ into becoming a cashless society – despite the fact that many consumers and firms rely on coins and notes.
They say the elderly, disabled and those in rural areas are among the hardest hit.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8841449/Shops-soon-offer-cashback-without-purchases-ministers-plan-rip-EU-rules.html

This is a very good idea. Typical type of over bearing EU rule which does nothing useful. It will keep cash flowing in the shops and allow those that want cash easy access to it.

colsten

Fantastic. Just what we need in Covid-19 times - extra close-contact touchpoints! We don't want it to make difficult for the virus to spread, do we. And shame on all those of our shops who urge people to pay contactless, and specifically on the likes of Greggs who now only accept contactless payments 😜

BTW, if I wanted to, in Germany I could withdraw cash, without charge, up to 200 Euros, with my DBK credit card in REWE, Penny, Netto, Edeka/Reichelt, Aldi Süd, in Drogeriemarkt dm and DIY store Toom. Granted, I need to spend at least 5 Euros at the retailer, but that seems fair enough to me - why should they provide me with a service if I don't spend any money with them? 
Last time I checked, Germany were still in the EU, so I am not entirely sure what the over bearing EU rule is.

Also, if you really need cash and don't have access to a bank or ATM, most UK banks offer free banking services, incl. cash withdrawals, at Post Offices

eskbanker

Only a Daily Mail reader could contrive that already heavily-spun story into "Get free cashback from shops after Brexit", when cashback is already free!

quirkydeptless

From the title, I thought this was going to be about lots of freebies from TopCashback and Quidco 

born_again

eskbanker said:

Only a Daily Mail reader could contrive that already heavily-spun story into "Get free cashback from shops after Brexit", when cashback is already free!

Except the big change is you will not need to buy anything.

Personally I can see a lot of shops saying no chance. Having to carry extra cash just in case someone pops in for some.
 While in practise it sounds a good idea. I'm sure both shop owners & their insurance companies will not be best impressed.

eskbanker

born_again said:

eskbanker said:

Only a Daily Mail reader could contrive that already heavily-spun story into "Get free cashback from shops after Brexit", when cashback is already free!

Except the big change is you will not need to buy anything.

Exactly, so the 'news' would be better summarised along the lines of 'proposal to introduce shop cashback without purchases', rather than implying that the change is to make something free when it already is....

greyteam1959

Shops & supermarkets are going to give the big ☝️☝️to this great idea.

IvanOpinion

Cashless can't come quick enough - dirty filthy unhygenic stuff. 
I carry an absolute minimal amount of cash these days (at the minute it is £1.40 in my pocket and a £10 note in my wallet).  If I get change I throw coppers and 5p coins in the bin (used to put them in a charity box but then realised that one of the significant arguments against cashless is charities who want this small change).

I am not seeing the incentive to shops to offer this service - so why would they?

Ballard

born_again said:

eskbanker said:

Only a Daily Mail reader could contrive that already heavily-spun story into "Get free cashback from shops after Brexit", when cashback is already free!

Except the big change is you will not need to buy anything.

Personally I can see a lot of shops saying no chance. Having to carry extra cash just in case someone pops in for some.
 While in practise it sounds a good idea. I'm sure both shop owners & their insurance companies will not be best impressed.

Unless shops are compelled to give cashback when requested I’d have thought that they’d be happy with this. If they have sufficient cash they can give it to a customer in exchange for an electronic payment. Less cash lying around or taken to the bank so less chance of theft. 

I rarely use cash so it wouldn’t make a difference to me but I’d have thought that it would be a big help to some communities who don’t have easy access to ATMs. 

bundoran

born_again said:

eskbanker said:

Only a Daily Mail reader could contrive that already heavily-spun story into "Get free cashback from shops after Brexit", when cashback is already free!

Except the big change is you will not need to buy anything.

Personally I can see a lot of shops saying no chance. Having to carry extra cash just in case someone pops in for some.
 While in practise it sounds a good idea. I'm sure both shop owners & their insurance companies will not be best impressed.

This is a straw man argument. No one has suggested that shops would be obliged to offer cashback to someone who didn't make a purchase, just that they would be allowed to, so you're alleging that shops and their insurance companies would be unimpressed by something which isn't being proposed.

Big shops have tended to like cashback because of the reasons outlined by Ballard. However cash transactions have fallen substantially and during the pandemic I've twice heard cashiers - in two different supermarkets - refuse cashback because they didn't have the cash available in their tills.

London7766551

colsten said:

Fantastic. Just what we need in Covid-19 times - extra close-contact touchpoints! We don't want it to make difficult for the virus to spread, do we. And shame on all those of our shops who urge people to pay contactless, and specifically on the likes of Greggs who now only accept contactless payments 😜

BTW, if I wanted to, in Germany I could withdraw cash, without charge, up to 200 Euros, with my DBK credit card in REWE, Penny, Netto, Edeka/Reichelt, Aldi Süd, in Drogeriemarkt dm and DIY store Toom. Granted, I need to spend at least 5 Euros at the retailer, but that seems fair enough to me - why should they provide me with a service if I don't spend any money with them? 
Last time I checked, Germany were still in the EU, so I am not entirely sure what the over bearing EU rule is.

Also, if you really need cash and don't have access to a bank or ATM, most UK banks offer free banking services, incl. cash withdrawals, at Post Offices

Well I think this is a long term thing, Covid may be gone in about five years hopefully. Cash will be around for longer than that.

You have just described the law, in the fact that you must spend money at the store to get the cash back in the EU. The UK law change would mean there is no requirement for this. I don't understand why this law was required.

Some places don't have a bank or a post office.