Have you noticed something off during your last supermarket run?

Maybe you reached for your wallet, ready to hand over a crisp banknote, only to be met with a cold screen and a subtle sense of rejection.

If so, you're not alone, and you're not imagining things.

A quiet but significant shift is happening in Australia's major supermarkets, and it's leaving many Aussies feeling left out.

Shoppers nationwide have been reporting that cash payment options at self-serve check-outs are slowly vanishing.

While both Coles and Woolworths still accept cash, finding a self-serve machine that lets shoppers use cash has become a game of hide and seek.

Supermarkets have leaned towards cashless payment options, alienating cash users. Image Credit: Pexels/Kampus Production

A recent investigation in Sydney's inner west found that in a Woolworths store in Balmain, only two out of 14 self-serve check-outs accepted cash.

The rest, however, were strictly card-only.

At another Woolworths store in Leichhardt, only six out of 18 machines took cash.

The cash-friendly check-outs are wrapped in neon green, while the card-only ones are in sleek black, differentiating both check-out counters.

On the other hand, Coles has been taking things a step further.

At a Coles store in Birkenhead Point, self-serve check-outs do not accept cash.

If a customer wanted to pay in cash, they had to queue 'at the assisted check-outs, but no one is working them right now'.

This creeping trend has become a real problem for many Australians, especially for certain members of the community.

Critics argued that the move away from cash could leave out seniors, low-income earners, and those who do not rely on digital payments.

Jason Bryce, the campaign manager behind CashWelcome, claimed that this trend is 'actively discriminating against cash users.'

'I want to use that word. because I know that the supermarkets actively discriminate against the millions of Australians who use cash,' Mr Bryce said in an interview.

'I get emails regularly from people who have complained to Coles and Woolies and to the ACCC, RBA, Human Rights Commission because cash users are forced to wait for 10 minutes for a cash accepting terminal to become free. Meanwhile, the card users sail straight through,' Mr Bryce lamented.

'They've got to do more than accept cash. 'Cash has got to be equal to the other payment options. All terminals should accept cash and card.'

It's not just about convenience or inclusion; there's a financial sting in the tail, too.

Australians spend around $140 a year on card surcharges and fees, and the real figure could even go higher.

The Federal Government announced its plans to ban debit card surcharges starting 1 January 2026.

While this could save consumers up to $500 million a year, not everyone is convinced that this could help shoppers.

'If there's a ban on surcharges, those costs will become absorbed in the payment, and we won't know what the cost is anymore. That's a big problem,' Mr Bryce argued.

Several SDC members have shared their thoughts about this looming change on card surcharges.

'All talk. Just like they were going to make it illegal for companies "not to accept cash". All big talk and nothing has happened,' SDC member @BruceC wrote.

'I am perfectly happy to pay charges for using my credit card, as I am gaining time, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated when being charged for using my debit card, which immediately comes out of my personal account,' member @anneh.63 shared.

'I don't carry hundreds of dollars cash but I use cash now more than I have in recent years. It concerns me that the charges will be waived until cash is a thing of the past then BAM.... charges everywhere!'

As the push towards a cashless society gathers pace, it's more important than ever to make your voice heard.

Whether you rely on cash every day or just like to keep your options open, this is an issue that affects the country.

Key Takeaways

• Coles and Woolworths supermarkets have been reducing cash payment options at self-serve check-outs, making it harder for cash-reliant customers to pay.
• Critics argued that this trend could leave out many members of society, labelling it as 'discrimination' against cash users.
• Some stores have only one or two self-serve machines that accept cash, with some Coles locations offering no cash self-serve option.
• The Federal Government revealed its plans to ban debit card surcharges from January 2026, aiming to save consumers money on fees.

Have you struggled to pay with cash at your local supermarket? Do you feel like you're being nudged towards card payments, whether you like it or not? Share your experiences, frustrations, and money tips in the comments below.

MORE: Looming money overhaul spells danger for cash users! Here's what you can do

 

[Macarj]

Shareholders are the greediest species of homo sapiens.

They make Woolworths and Coles look like angels.

F**k 'em.

Not all share holders in fact I have even sold shares when I didn't like what the company was doing

 

[Veggiepatch]

Ah, so you're jealous that some people are shareholders, lol. You can but shares too you know.

I don't have shares, directly or indirectly.

The share market is the dinosaur of investment. Slow and cumbersome.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Not all share holders in fact I have even sold shares when I didn't like what the company was doing

Which happens a lot.

 

[Leenie]

I did exactly this a couple of years ago at Coles in Dandenong Plaza. They reduced their cash self serve checkouts from six to two overnight. Low and behold, one of the two was out of order, resulting in a queue about five deep, waiting for the cash checkout,

Even the "card only" checkouts still had their note and coin acceptors still attached!

I hope the Coles staff enjoyed returning my odd $100 abandoned goods to the shelves and freezers.

Understandably, Coles relented and reinstated the cash capable checkouts less than a week later.

And anyone that comments that my actions were childish can fornicate themselves with a rusty coathanger!

My daughter in Gladstone did the same ,they keep checkouts closed to force you to use self serve , others also followed leaving loaded trolleys , they soon get the message .woolies have a habit of having one checkout open ,with people waiting worse at night none open after 6-30pm .

Not all share holders in fact I have even sold shares when I didn't like what the company was doing

 

[leejones5]

Huh???? I'm not a bank, lol.

 

[Luckyus]

I did exactly this a couple of years ago at Coles in Dandenong Plaza. They reduced their cash self serve checkouts from six to two overnight. Low and behold, one of the two was out of order, resulting in a queue about five deep, waiting for the cash checkout,

Even the "card only" checkouts still had their note and coin acceptors still attached!

I hope the Coles staff enjoyed returning my odd $100 abandoned goods to the shelves and freezers.

Understandably, Coles relented and reinstated the cash capable checkouts less than a week later.

And anyone that comments that my actions were childish can fornicate themselves with a rusty coathanger!

C'mon Veggie say what you really mean, don't be shy?I did the thing the same thing years when it was still legal to smoke in shops? This assistant came up me out of the blue and said I'd thank you not to smoke? I replied that I'd thank them not to sell the bastards in the first place, Oh and my trolley was fully laden with a months groceries other than perishables.

 

[Wombat2u2004]

Right, so spend half an hour and go do it again somewhere else. And exactly which "somewhere else" are you going? Another Coles, another Woolworths, and have the same issue. hahahaha

Well go to all of those places one after another and do the same.

 

[Wombat2u2004]

Customers need to be kept happy too!

I don't think they care. They have forced out all of the small operators, now they rule the grocery shopping. And soon to be like the USA, where they rule the everything shopping.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Right, so spend half an hour and go do it again somewhere else. And exactly which "somewhere else" are you going? Another Coles, another Woolworths, and have the same issue. hahahaha

If you have time, do the same with full trolleys at every Woolworths and Coles within a 5 kilometre radius. They will soon be pissed off!

And what can they do? Just plead "oops, I left my wallet at home!"

 

[7777]

The first time I experienced a no cash, but card service only, was at the RTA. I wanted to pay for a licence renewal, and was told to go and put my money on my transaction card, and then come back and pay the required fee. I then had to go and look for the nearest ATM machine, and deposit the money on to my card, and then go back to the RTA office to pay for my licence renewal. So time consuming, so frustrating so ridiculous. What is happening to the normal way of life. It appears that the conveniences of technology will serve us only if we comply to its demands, and that is that we no longer use cash. And how ever so convenient this arrangement comes for the daily working cybercriminals, who just love it when our money is sitting in our bank accounts. I sometimes wonder, do cybercriminals use cash, or ATM cards, to do their spending with the money they have stollen from peoples accounts. But of course, they most probably use cash, so that they do have to worry about super cybercriminals hacking into their bank accounts.

 

[Josephine B]

Cash rules, these big companies are nothing but greedy obnoxious bullies making people do what they want. I will use cash for as long as I can!!

Same here as I ONLY ever pay by cash.

 

[Josephine B]

The first time I experienced a no cash, but card service only, was at the RTA. I wanted to pay for a licence renewal, and was told to go and put my money on my transaction card, and then come back and pay the required fee. I then had to go and look for the nearest ATM machine, and deposit the money on to my card, and then go back to the RTA office to pay for my licence renewal. So time consuming, so frustrating so ridiculous. What is happening to the normal way of life. It appears that the conveniences of technology will serve us only if we comply to its demands, and that is that we no longer use cash. And how ever so convenient this arrangement comes for the daily working cybercriminals, who just love it when our money is sitting in our bank accounts. I sometimes wonder, do cybercriminals use cash, or ATM cards, to do their spending with the money they have stollen from peoples accounts. But of course, they most probably use cash, so that they do have to worry about super cybercriminals hacking into their bank accounts.

I hear you about the cybercriminals because hubby had his card scammed 5 weeks ago. After notifying it had been scammed also at the same time hubby notified the change of our address. It took the 5 weeks for him to track down with numerous calls and emails to what has happened to his replacement card. He only received it yesterday from our son who we gave the PO as our forwarding address 3 months ago, but had cancelled the forwarding address 2 weeks ago.
When hubby was enquiring of the whereabouts of his card they said that it had been sent to our new address - WRONG! It had been sent to our old address which the PO picked up on, but then sent it to our sons address. DOH!!!!
Hubby was starting to go around the twist because he couldn't pay for any of our service bills and a couple of smaller bills he tried, but naturally they were declined, he was a bit concerned that he'd get a bad payment note. Thank goodness our son brought his fathers card over immediately so the bills COULD BE PAID.