Overview
- German law allows shops to limit accepted payment methods in either direction, and EU rules do not impose a blanket obligation to take cash.
- Practical limits remain in place, with the ECB deeming refusal of banknotes over €50 permissible and the retail association citing a 50-coin cap per purchase.
- Card-network rules constrain merchants’ practices, as Visa prohibits minimum purchase amounts for card payments despite contractual freedom.
- Studies show cash use has fallen nationally from roughly three-quarters of purchases in 2017 to about half recently, and retailers now take close to 60% of sales electronically.
- A Commerzbank survey finds a gap between consumer demand and small-business supply—Nord- and Central Hesse firms rarely offer card or mobile options despite strong customer preference—while Berlin businesses are more digital than average but still trail their users, and the federal government is reported to be planning mandatory electronic acceptance.