{"id":2629,"date":"2013-10-03T16:52:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-03T14:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betaalvereniging.nl\/en\/?p=2629"},"modified":"2026-08-07T03:38:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T01:38:32","slug":"minister-opstelten-gives-up-wallet-for-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betaalvereniging.nl\/en\/news\/minister-opstelten-gives-up-wallet-for-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Minister Opstelten gives up his wallet for a week"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Debit card payments improve security.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Two<\/figure>\n\n\n

During Safety Week, from 7 to 12 October, Security and Justice Minister Opstelten is handing his wallet to the Dutch Banking Association. By no longer paying cash and using only his debit card, the minister is drawing attention to the unnecessary amount of cash held in shops, hospitality venues and petrol stations. Opstelten is calling on shoppers to use debit cards instead of cash. \u201cDebit card payments are much safer for citizens, checkout staff and businesses.\u201d
Opstelten is taking over from twenty Dutch mayors who have handed in their coins and banknotes for a week in recent months. \u201cI am pleased to join them during Safety Week (in Dutch) <\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/a>. This week, we want to make everyone aware of their own role and responsibilities when it comes to security. Experience shows that crime and the risk of robberies rise during the dark winter months. More debit card payments mean less cash is used, improving security for everyone,\u201d the minister says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cashless Saturday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The mayors are taking the next step by asking fellow members of municipal executives, councillors and civil servants to use debit cards only on Saturday 12 October. Saturday is the main shopping day, yet half of all Saturday purchases are still paid in cash. \u201cCashless Saturday is a fitting conclusion to Safety Week,\u201d says Opstelten. The Dutch Banking Association has also called on its members to leave their cash at home on 12 October and pay only by debit card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teenagers and senior citizens still pay cash<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among people who have or could have a debit card, the youngest group aged 12 to 15 and the oldest group aged 65 and over use it least, at 33% and 40% respectively. Young people often receive their income in cash, while older people pay cash more frequently out of habit. Even so, today\u2019s older consumers use debit cards twice as often as people aged over 65 did ten years ago, at 40% compared with 19%. People aged 16 to 35 make the highest proportion of debit card payments, at 54%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday debit card records<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDebit cards are already widely used in the Netherlands. The absolute number of debit card payments is highest on Saturdays, but almost half of Saturday purchases are still paid in cash. We want consumers to make a more conscious choice in favour of debit cards,\u201d says Chris Buijink, Chair of the Dutch Banking Association. The debit card record dates from Saturday 29 June 2013, when more than 12.3 million payments were made. The highest number of transactions per second this year, up to 1 October, was reached on Saturday 30 March, the day before Easter: 389 transactions per second. \u201cWe hope these new initiatives will shift the balance between cash and debit cards in favour of debit card payments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National campaign<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cashless Saturday forms part of the national \u201cDebit cards welcome\u201d campaign, which highlights businesses\u2019 and banks\u2019 strong preference for debit card payments, including for small amounts. This improves security, as less cash makes retailers less attractive targets for robbery, while also offering greater speed and convenience. Debit card payments are also cheaper for businesses. The campaign is an initiative of the Dutch Payments Association, the Foundation for Promoting Efficient Payments, banks, trade associations, Maestro and V PAY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo, from left: Gijs Boudewijn of the Dutch Banking Association and Minister Opstelten.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n