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Mayors lock away their cash for ‘Debit cards welcome’

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Annemarie Jorritsma campaigns for retailer security.

Two representatives present the starting moment of the campaign 'pay with debit cards yes please' with a large campaign sign at a payment terminal.

Almere Mayor Annemarie Jorritsma locked away her cash today. For one week, she will make payments using only her debit card. The launch of the “Debit cards welcome” campaign highlights businesses’ preference for debit card payments, including for small amounts. To draw attention to the unnecessary amount of cash held in shops, many mayors, including Ahmed Aboutaleb, Onno Hoes, Peter den Oudsten and Ferd Crone, will follow her example. Although many people in the Netherlands think they are helping small businesses such as snack bars, cafés and bakeries by paying cash, the opposite is true. Retailers become less attractive targets for robbery when consumers use debit cards more often. The campaign is an initiative of the Dutch Payments Association, the Foundation for Promoting Efficient Payments, banks, trade associations, Maestro, VPAY and several businesses.

In addition to the security, convenience and speed of debit card payments, they are ultimately cheaper for businesses than cash. “Retailers in Almere welcome debit card payments. To contribute to security in my city, I am pleased to exchange the notes and coins in my wallet for a debit card. I hope increasing numbers of people will choose to pay by debit card,” Jorritsma said at the event.

Preference for debit cards

Following the launch by Mayor Jorritsma, Ahmed Aboutaleb of Rotterdam, Onno Hoes of Maastricht, Peter den Oudsten of Enschede and Ferd Crone of Leeuwarden, among others, will put away their wallets. Despite businesses’ own preference for debit cards, more than half of people in the Netherlands believe businesses would rather receive cash. The mayors are calling on consumers nationwide to choose debit cards at the checkout, while retailers can communicate the same message in their own premises.

Photo, from left: Piet Mallekoote, Director of the Dutch Payments Association, and Annemarie Jorritsma.

The Dutch Payments Association promotes electronic and account-to-account payments in the Netherlands. Its members are banks, payment institutions and electronic money institutions. Consumers and businesses are actively involved in the Association’s activities.

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