Mobile wallets, credit cards, coffee cups — so many ways to pay, and yet consumers can’t quite give up their favorite cash.
ING Financial Services surveyed almost 14,700 adults across 15 countries, and only about one third were ready to give up cash forever. Respondents from the U.S. lead the pact, with 38% ready to give up cash, followed by an average of 34% of respondents across all the European countries in the survey.
However, the study suggests that the use of cash overall has declined across the board. From the study:
54% percent of people in Europe agree or strongly agree that “I use physical cash much less than 12 months ago.” Of that proportion, nearly eight in 10 (78%) also say they expect to go on using fewer notes and coins in the next 12 months. Once people start to reduce their cash use, it seems they’re inclined to go on using less cash.
But even so, majority of customers are “not comfortable” going cashless for a month, or even for a week; only 29% of consumers indicated they are now comfortable with going cashless “forever,” while half of the respondents said they’re OK with no cash for a week.
The full study, released yesterday, is available here.