Shoppers at Morrisons have slammed the supermarket for making "sneaky" changes to some of their self-scan tills, as they say the update will "ruin" their weekly shop.
The popular supermarket came under fire after signs were put up in a Surrey shop to warn customers that "the majority of self-scan [tills] will be converted to cards only", meaning you won't be able to pay with cash at those checkouts. According to Morrisons, a rising number of shoppers no longer wish to pay using coins and notes, so they are reducing the number of tills that are able to accept cash payments to reflect customer demand.
But some shoppers insist the decision to axe many of the cash-accepting tills means their food shop is "going to be completely ruined", according to The Sun.
Jack Catten, 68, who regularly shops at Morrisons, told the publication: "I'm livid. I don't have a debit card and rely on cash from my pension to buy essentials like groceries and medicine. Now I'm going to be forced to queue up for a special till that accepts notes and coins.
"I don't understand why Morrisons treats its shoppers with such disrespect. We're all paying customers – whether it be by cash or card. My weekly shopping trip is going to be completely ruined and I know a lot of others who feel just like I do."
Morrisons are not completely removing all self-service tills that accept cash, but critics say the move to reduce the number of tills that do will leave those who rely on cash struggling to pay.
Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices campaign group, argued the "sneaky move" was just one of many being made to try and "phase out cash", while Jenny Ross, Which? money editor, said cash remained a vital lifeline for millions of people across the UK as she urged Morrisons to "ensure that cash remains a payment option for those who rely on it."
A Morrisons spokesman, however, insisted the supermarket will "continue to offer a mix of cash and card payment options" at all of their stores, but said the changes were being made to reflect the growing number of people who wish to pay by card, as well as the dwindling numbers who still use cash.
They explained: "All of our stores will continue to offer a mix of cash and card payment options and so if a customer wishes to pay by cash they will be able to do so. Following the pandemic, we have seen more of our customers choosing to pay by card, both on our colleague-serviced tills and our self-service tills and so this change is about ensuring there are the right number and mix of cash and card payment points in our stores. As a result, in some of our stores, we will also be converting a number of our current payment points to card only."
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