Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize has denied that one of its shops operating within the European Parliament in Brussels is breaking the law by refusing to accept cash payments for goods.
According to the Belgian government, stores are not legally allowed to refuse “under any circumstances” cash payments for goods or services.
However, sources confirmed to Brussels Signal that at least two shops operating within the Parliament in Brussels refuse notes and coins, requiring their customers to use cashless payment methods only.
One of these shops is the Delhaize Shop & Go store that operates out of the Parliament’s Spinelli building.
According to a statement by the Belgian Federal Public Service Economy, such a refusal to accept cash is in breach of Belgian law.
“Within the legal limit of €3,000 the advance refusal of any cash payment is contrary to the concept of legal tender,” the Belgian department explained, adding that it was “right” to say that the shop’s refusal to accept cash goes against Belgian law.
It added that exceptions allowing stores to refuse cash “may be laid down for reasons of public policy, such as security, the fight against crime or the public interest”, but that such arrangements must be considered on a “case-by-case basis”.
“Only a judge can rule on this,” they added.
Responding to a request for comment, Karima Ghozzi, a spokesman for the supermarket chain, denied they were acting in breach of Belgian law, arguing that there were legal exceptions in place permitting cashless operations.
The official said that, due to the nature of the self-checkouts in the parliament’s Shop & Go store, the organisation did not hold cash there.
Ghozzi said the store is entitled to insist on other forms of payment.
She also cited security concerns, pointing out that the shop was frequently unmanned.
“Insofar as we do not always have someone on site to guarantee sufficient cash in the machines to give change to customers who pay in cash and also for security reasons as there is no human control, we opted for all other payment alternatives except cash,” she said.
The chain had not received explicit permission from the Belgian authorities for a cashless operation, she said.
By contrast, the European Parliament had given permission, Ghozzi said.
The Parliament, which banned cash payments during Covid, says it has since the end of the pandemic returned to the previous regime, though admitted there were exceptions.
“In all the shops and facilities managed by European Parliament’s DG for Infrastructure and Logistics, payment by card or cash is always possible, with the exception of the supermarket and the mini-market equipped with self-check-out in the Spinelli Building,” Parliament spokesperson Martina Vass said.
Bars and cafés around the Parliament building also refuse to take cash, including the popular hangout Karsmakers.
Other bars in Brussels refuse card payments.
