The government has published draft regulations that will establish a mandate for supermarkets and fuel retailers to accept payment in cash.
This is a much narrower mandate than had been anticipated, and means the vast bulk of businesses will not be covered by the cash mandate.
The Regulations prescribe mandatory industry codes that regulate the conduct of supermarket retailers and motor fuel retailers towards consumers.
The Codes require retailers to ensure that consumers making in-person payments of $500 or less are provided with a reasonable opportunity to do so in cash.
“Despite the rise of digital payments in recent years, cash payments remain a vital payment method for many Australians, particularly in regional and rural communities” the Explanatory Memorandum for the Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes -Cash Acceptance) Regulations 2025 says.
“The Regulations ensure that consumers of certain essential goods can continue to pay in cash in the future if they desire. This does not preclude the businesses from also accepting other forms of payment.
“Maintaining access to cash is a key part of modernising payments infrastructure. By mandating cash acceptance in the retail sale of fuel and groceries, the Regulations assist with payment system resilience, for example, during natural disasters or digital outages.”
The cash mandate will come into force in January 2026.
Extracted in full from: https://www.bankingday.com/government-narrows-cash-mandate-to-supermarkets-and-petrol-stations
