Customers upset as shops in Chennai go 'cash only' during COVID-19 crisis

CHENNAI: At a time when countries are encouraging digital payments for business transactions to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the exchange of cash, many shops and supermarkets that were once accepting cards and other modes of payment now demand cash, putting consumers on the spot.

“Though there is a scare of the virus spreading through cash, however, most of the dealers and stockists who supply to our shops demand payments in cash during these times of distress,” said Kannan, who runs a departmental store in Madipakkam. He rued that withdrawing cash from ATM at regular intervals was a tedious process.

“Even online modes of payment such as Google Pay, Paytm and other applications that were earlier accepted at small shops and vegetable vendors are now not being taken,” said Kamala, who was waiting for her turn at the queue in a vegetable shop in Nanganallur.

Despite the Government of India, through its National Payments Corporation of India, and organisations like WHO recommending digital payments, the shops in the city are taking complicated route, said Michael Rodney, an IT employee living in Keelkattalai.

“I was standing in the queue for at least 20 minutes with the groceries but only to find out that the supermarket does not accept cards,” he added.

Several of them lamented that the government should put out a circular that shops should accept card payments and provide them with rebate on card charges, which in turn will encourage other shops.