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The use of cash in Italy: evidence from the ECB Study on the use of cash by households

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  • Giorgia Rocco

    (Banca d'Italia)

Abstract

The study investigates the use of cash and other payment instruments at points of sale (POS) in Italy, using data from the Italian sample of the Study on the Use of Cash by Households (SUCH) conducted by the ECB in 2016. The aim of the study was to estimate the number and value of cash transactions and to obtain information on consumers� payment behaviour. The results show that cash was the most used instrument, although alternative instruments and cards would be preferred if the method of payment could be selected without constraints. Cash was mainly used for low-value payments, whereas other instruments were used more frequently for higher value transactions. Daily payments were mainly made in cash, even when alternatives were available. The choice of payment instrument is more affected by the characteristics of the transaction than by socio-demographic factors: the significant use of cash is explained by the fact that only transactions at POS, where the value of payments is typically low, were recorded in the diaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Giorgia Rocco, 2019. "The use of cash in Italy: evidence from the ECB Study on the use of cash by households," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 481, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_481_19
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    File URL: https://www.bancaditalia.it/pubblicazioni/qef/2019-0481/QEF_481_19.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Bagnall & David Bounie & Kim P. Huynh & Anneke Kosse & Tobias Schmidt & Scott Schuh, 2016. "Consumer Cash Usage: A Cross-Country Comparison with Payment Diary Survey Data," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 12(4), pages 1-61, December.
    2. Esselink, Henk & Gijsel, Lola Hernandez-van, 2017. "The use of cash by households in the euro area," Occasional Paper Series 201, European Central Bank.
    3. Ulf Kalckreuth & Tobias Schmidt & Helmut Stix, 2014. "Choosing and using payment instruments: evidence from German microdata," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 1019-1055, May.
    4. Morten Linnemann Bech & Umar Faruqui & Frederik Ougaard & Cristina Picillo, 2018. "Payments are a-changin' but cash still rules," BIS Quarterly Review, Bank for International Settlements, March.
    5. Lalouette, Laure & Esselink, Henk, 2018. "Trends and developments in the use of euro cash over the past ten years," Economic Bulletin Articles, European Central Bank, vol. 6.
    6. Jobst, Clemens & Stix, Helmut, 2017. "Doomed to Disappear? The Surprising Return of Cash Across Time and Across Countries," CEPR Discussion Papers 12327, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Scott Schuh, 2018. "Measuring Consumer Expenditures With Payment Diaries," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(1), pages 13-49, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Guerino Ardizzi & Andrea Nobili & Giorgia Rocco, 2020. "A game changer in payment habits: evidence from daily data during a pandemic," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 591, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    2. Luca Baldo & Elisa Bonifacio & Marco Brandi & Michelina Lo Russo & Gianluca Maddaloni & Andrea Nobili & Giorgia Rocco & Gabriele Sene & Massimo Valentini, 2021. "Inside the black box: tools for understanding cash circulation," Mercati, infrastrutture, sistemi di pagamento (Markets, Infrastructures, Payment Systems) 7, Bank of Italy, Directorate General for Markets and Payment System.
    3. Francesco Berardini & Fabrizio Renzi, 2022. "Mind the Gap! The (unexpected) impact of COVID-19 pandemic on VAT revenue in Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 669, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Guerino Ardizzi & Elisa Bonifacio & Cristina Demma & Laura Painelli, 2020. "Regional Differences in Retail Payment Habits in Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 576, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    cash; payment instruments; payment behaviour; consumers� choice;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E41 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Demand for Money
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance

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