Visually impaired shopper welcomes vote on cash
BBCA visually impaired shopper has welcomed a States Assembly vote, which means businesses will have to accept cash.
The next government will have to take the necessary steps to ensure the change comes into force by January 2028, after politicians voted in favour of Deputy Monfort Tadier's proposal.
Jenny Stafford is severely visually impaired and was concerned about only being able to use cards while shopping if politicians did not support the proposal.
She said: "I am really pleased that businesses will have to accept cash... as someone living with a severe sight loss, I should have the choice to use cash or card."
Stafford has lost almost all of her vision and struggles to enter her PIN to complete transactions.
She said: "Using cash is really easy for me because I know exactly what the notes are because I have a little gadget at home which tells me what they are, and then I line the notes up in my wallet.
"It's also easier to monitor your budget by paying cash because you know how much money you have compared to when you're using your card."
Stafford added: "I wouldn't be able to buy anything in Jersey if businesses stopped accepting cash."
One of the politicians who abstained from voting on the proposal and raised concerns about the plans was Deputy Kirsten Morel.
He said it "puts risks and costs on those businesses such as nightclubs... it's an environment where cash can be lost and stolen".
Morel added: "Similarly, for the business itself, they don't want a till full of cash because cash can be stolen and it can go missing.
"And as banks charge every business to deposit cash, it costs them to do that."
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