The National Committee for Means of Payment (CNMP), which brings together payment agents, bankers and merchants under the auspices of the Banque de France, recalled on Tuesday the obligation of merchants to accept cash.
Banknotes and coins “must be accepted by merchants, every day, including Sundays, as well as during events such as festivals or sporting events,” underlines the CNMP in a press release, after pointing out the deficiencies.
Cash in euros is the only means of payment in France that, in principle, cannot be refused, with rare exceptions (counterfeiting, payment with more than 50 currencies, etc.).
fine of 150 euros
A merchant who refuses to pay in cash risks a fine of 150 euros, reminds service-public.fr, the site of the French administration.
The Ministry of the Economy and the Banque de France “will be especially attentive to compliance with these legal obligations,” continues the press release, after reports of “specific cases of rejection of cash by businesses open on Sundays.”
Last year, the Banque de France reminded the Carrefour and Casino retail groups of their obligation to accept cash payments in all their stores.
The acceptability of cash payments in shops is one of the pillars of the National Cash Management Plan (PNGE), as is accessibility, for example, through good coverage of the territory by ATMs.
Source: BFM TV
