French stores cannot legally refuse cash

A widely shared post that details how 50 people protested against a cashless supermarket in France leading to the retailer reinstating cash has resurfaced on Facebook.

One version of the post has been shared at least 14,000 times.

But there’s no evidence this protest ever took place and, regardless, all businesses in France legally must accept cash, with only a handful of limited exceptions.

Claims surrounding cashless payments, a global central banking system and digital currency are extremely popular on social media and we have fact checked them many times before.

In this instance, the post explains how “a group of 50 people got together and agreed that they would all do a big shop on the same day” at a “very well known supermarket” before insisting on paying with cash at the checkout.

The post says the staff were “absolutely overrun” and “in a complete tizz”, with the supermarket reinstating cash as a result.

False or misleading claims online have the potential to harm individuals, groups and organisations. Online claims can spread fast and far, and are difficult to contain and correct. 

Businesses in France must take cash by law

Not accepting cash is illegal in France in all businesses.

The law says (translated to English by Google): “Refusing to accept coins and banknotes that have legal tender in France at the value at which they are in circulation is punishable by a fine applicable to 2nd class offences.”

There are very limited circumstances when banknotes and coins can be refused, namely if someone is attempting to use a foreign currency, if it’s counterfeit, if the payment consists of more than 50 coins, or if the money is in poor condition.

Shops can also refuse cash for security or technical reasons, for example as a security measure if a staff member is working the night shift.

With all of that in mind, it’s incredibly unlikely that a “very well known supermarket” would go fully cashless.

No evidence this protest took place

When Full Fact previously fact checked this claim in September 2023, we couldn’t find any information online about a protest like this one happening in France. Ten months later and there’s still nothing to back up this claim.

Some French supermarkets have hit headlines for concerns that some practices would in-practice require shoppers to pay by card.

Labour laws say that employees of large supermarkets in France can’t work past 1pm on Sundays, leading to some stores keeping self-scanning options active only.

In 2022 Banque de France reminded two of France’s biggest retailers that they were obliged to accept cash, after the introduction of self-scanning options (which do not accept banknotes or coins) only on Sundays meant that customers had to pay by card. 

Christophe Baud-Berthier, a director at Banque de France was quoted in French media saying: “This is the principle and it must be remembered: a merchant cannot refuse a cash payment.”