Overview
- Germany’s Bundesrat, on a motion from Lower Saxony and Hamburg, backed a resolution tied to the 2025 tax amendment that would require digital payment acceptance in the gastronomy sector.
- The incoming coalition agreement promises choice between cash and at least one digital method and sets a cash‑register obligation for businesses with more than €100,000 in annual turnover starting January 1, 2027.
- A new Allensbach survey finds 47% paid their last purchase by card versus 41% with cash, with mobile and contactless use rising sharply among under‑30s.
- Industry groups warn of added costs, while the tax officials’ union argues broader digital payments would lift revenues; public polls show sizable support for a legal acceptance duty, especially among younger people.
- A reported relief measure under discussion would cut VAT on food to 7% from 2026, excluding drinks, as privacy debates intensify over machine reading of banknote serial numbers that can trace cash flows.