Woolworths Food maintains cash payments in W Café credit card-only environment

Woolworths Food has confirmed that its supermarkets across South Africa will continue to accept cash payments, addressing concerns raised by recent signs of a move to a cashless policy. The sign, which has confused customers, will only apply to W Café outlets within Woolworths stores and will come into effect from January 16.

W Café, which had a turnover of more than R800 million last year, is moving towards card-only transactions, in line with a wider trend of businesses prioritizing security and efficiency. The shift to cashless operations in some retail sectors has sparked conversations around consumer preferences and compliance with national currency regulations.

Despite this trend, Woolworths supermarkets continue to use cash, recognizing its importance to many shoppers. This stance is in line with the South African Reserve Bank’s stance on fiat currencies, ensuring customers have the option to use cash for purchases.

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