BERLIN - The German people’s long-standing love affair with cash is fading - even when they travel abroad, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
A new survey released recently by comparison site Verivox found that only about a third of people now prefer to pay with banknotes and coins, both at home and outside the country.
The shift has been sharp: in June 2023, a majority (53 per cent) said they would pay for a €20 (US$23) purchase abroad within the eurozone in cash. That figure has now dropped to just 34 per cent of the 1,031 respondents.
"Germans have traditionally been considered cash lovers. But the majority now prefer card-based payments both domestically and abroad," said Oliver Maier, managing director at Verivox Finanzvergleich.
At home, 51 per cent of respondents favour cards at the checkout, whether debit or credit.
Card use is even more dominant when travelling: nearly 55 per cent prefer card payments within the eurozone, rising to more than 56 per cent outside it.
The polling institute Innofact carried out the survey, on behalf of Verivox, involving 1,031 people aged 18 to 79, in the country this month. - BERNAMA-dpa