The Australian government will force some shops to accept cash. So who still uses it, and why?

Cash use has declined drastically across all age groups and for all products, but small pockets of resistance to digital-only payments remain

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

The Australian government has announced it will mandate that businesses selling essential goods and services must accept cash from 2026, and has confirmed that cheques will no longer be accepted as legal tender from 2029.

So how many Australians are still paying with cash?