Finnish retailer Kesko has announced that the amount of cash withdrawals at checkouts in its stores has doubled compared to last year.
In a survey, the retailer found that cash had been withdrawn by 17% of all customers during the past year, while 44% of customers expressed interested in the service.
“During the first part of the year, the number of cash withdrawals in K-food stores more than doubled compared to the previous year,” said Petri Toivonen, Kesko's Service Director. “In fact, there were hundreds of thousands of cash withdrawals made at the beginning of the year and customers have clearly found the service.”
Important Service
Before paying for a purchase, customers can withdraw up to €200 free of charge while making a transaction. The purchase and withdrawal will be displayed separately on the receipt, and neither the cashier nor the checkout machine have access to account or card information.
The withdrawal service is offered in more than 1,200 Kesko stores, which can be identified by the Osta & Nosta (Buy & Withdraw) logo. It is also available in all former Siwa and Valintatalo supermarkets that have been converted to Kesko stores.
“Withdrawing cash from a cashier is especially popular in the summer," Toivonen added. "Plus, the importance of the service is accentuated in municipalities that have smaller populations. In Finland, there are more than 60 postal codes that have a K-food store but no cash machine."
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Larissa Zimmer. Click subscribe to sign up for ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
