In their joint survey, MasterCard and Bankkartya.hu visited non card accepting shops in Budapest where small-amount payments are. Among the retailers were newagents, grocery stores, bakeries, florist’s, stationeries, tobacconists, confectioneries and restaurants.

In the survey mystery shoppers initiated purchases below 5000 Forints and tried to make payment with large, twenty-thousand forint notes. In 36% of 120 stores examined in Budapest no purchase was made due to lack of change and no card-acceptance. 16% of attempts resulted in the shop running out of change completely. Therefore, it can be said that in more than 40% of the examined non-card-accepting stores handling large bank notes causes a significant problem.

The 8 million bank cards (source: National Bank of Hungary) are the most commonly used substitues of cash in Hungary. Cardholders use them for shopping as with their help the exact sum of money can be paid and related inconveniences of storing and handling of odd money can be avoided.

„ It certainly happens in card-accepting stores that they can not change large notes, the difference being that card-usage offers a solution in most cases. The aim of our research was to point out that cash is not omnipotent - emphasised Milán Gauder, MasterCard Europe Regional Manager for Hungary, Croatia, Sloveni and Cyprus - on the contrary, it has several disadvantages.

As we have seen large bank notes cannot be used for small value payments in a substantial proportion of cases.. Where large notes were accepted our testers received get a huge amount of notes and coins in return which has to be stored and handled. Nowadays, with the growing number of 100 and 200 forint coins this causes further inconvenience. On the other hand when paying by card customers do not get any change back, the exact sum is detracted, and the size and weight of one’s wallet is not affected by the transaction.”

How do cashiers react when they realize their inability to give back change? According to the research their most common reaction was perplexity mixed with embarassment. About half of the cashiers recommended the customer should try and change money in another store.

Mostly, cashiers mostly could not explain reasons for not accepting cards. According to MasterCard research dated in 2009, however, the lack of card-acceptance can be explained by the low demand of customers.

„We did not investigate the acceptance of small value coins, although the acceptance of these can often be a source of annoyance or even conflicts in retail”- says Peter Homa, editor of Bancard.hu (bankkártya.hu). „Just recently, I have heard about a case when a retailer who did accept a large note from a customer, but in order to express his dislike, gave a huge amount of coins back.

As a result of the survey (nearly 80 cash transactions) we have collected almost 5 kg of metal coins. Fortunately plastik cards weighing only 5 gramms are accepted in a continously increasing number of stores through which customers are freed from the often disappointing inconveniences of handling cash."

More information from Zádori Zoltán - Localtime PR & Consultancy