Cash proposal aims to 'leave no-one behind'
BBCJersey could "sleepwalk" into a cashless society unless action is taken, a deputy has said.
Montfort Tadier has put forward a proposal to ensure islanders have the choice to pay with cash for goods and services as the use of digital transactions increases.
He said the proposal was designed to protect vulnerable groups including older people, those on low income, the disabled and domestic or economic abuse victims who often relied on cash payments.
Tadier, who is chairman of the Economic and International Affairs (EIA) panel, added it would "strengthen consumer choice". The earliest the States Assembly will debate the proposal is 10 March.
Within the proposal, Tadier said he wanted to ensure all businesses selling in-person goods and services must accept cash from January 2028, except where reasonable exemptions apply.
His proposal also calls for a comprehensive policy paper on long-term access to cash - including an examination of bank fees for deposits and withdrawals - to be brought forward by March 2027.
Tadier said recent scrutiny work by EIA showed 44% of islanders who preferred using cash had been unable to do so because a business had refused it.
He added 77% of respondents to the Jersey Opinions and Lifestyle Survey believed businesses should be required to accept cash.
Tadier said: "If the government waits until most businesses have already gone cashless, it will be far more disruptive - and far more difficult - to restore consumer choice."
Tadier said it was not his intention to put forward a "Canutish" plan to hold back digital progress but, without action, the island could reach a "point of no return".
"This is about ensuring that as Jersey modernises, no one is left behind," he said.
"Digital payments are convenient for many, but for thousands of islanders, cash is essential.
"Protecting cash is not about resisting progress - it's about ensuring inclusion."
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