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

Giorgia Rocco

No 481, Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) from Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area

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.

Keywords: cash; payment instruments; payment behaviour; consumers� choice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D12 D14 E41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-mon and nep-pay
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bdi:opques:qef_481_19

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