Zurich (Switzerland) – “Cash only is true”: Anyone who lives by the motto will not do well at the markets this Christmas. Because cash is now prohibited here! And dealers must comply…
Finally I smelled the aroma of roasted almonds again a cup of mulled wine agree and taste delicious bratwurst: Christmas market season is approaching.
The stand will open on November 20 Christmas market “Polarzauber” at Zurich Central Station (Switzerland) – with one change: “The entire Polarzauber is cashless – all stands accept card payments as well as mobile payments such as Twint, Apple Pay or Google Pay,” says the Christmas market website.
Violations result in fines
Payment can be made with “all common credit and debit cards.” If dealers still accept cash, they will have to pay a fine of 500 francs (around 540 euros), according to the Swiss newspaper “See” report. If this happens again, the stand operator will even be eliminated from the market.
Traders are no longer allowed to accept cash at the Christmas market at Zurich Main Station
This is how the dealers reacted
A system with reloadable payment cards was initially planned. However, this did not attract the attention of exhibitors. One retailer told Swiss consumer magazine “K-Tipp” that he was annoyed by the newly imposed ban: “About half of the people pay me in cash. cash If I were to refuse, I would lose the sale.”
In addition to the stand rental, retailers must pay a share of sales to the organizer, Polarzauber AG. They believe: The organizers are afraid that the dealers will cheat on the cash – and that they will lose money as a result!
That’s what this city says
The owner of the train station where the Christmas market takes place is Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), which is behind the cash ban. The city of Zurich, which rents out public space for Christmas markets, doesn’t mind either, because “K-Tip” write.
