Belgium has rules that require businesses to accept both cash and electronic payments, but it appears that not all Belgian businesses are in compliance, based on reports from the Federal Public Economy Service.
The service reported almost 800 reports of violation so far this year, most heavily on refusal to accept electronic payments. According to the spokesperson for the agency 182 of the 519 reports were sustained. Of the 266 reports of stores that wouldn’t take cash, only eight violations were sustained by the agency, because the rule on accepting cash just came into effect in 2024.
Under the rules, merchants are allowed to say which they prefer. In the case of cash there are a number of exceptions: cash can be refused temporarily if the environment has become unsafe, if the amount is disproportionate (think of paying €5 with a €500 note) or if the sale amount is over €3000. Stores are also not required to accept more than 50 coins at a time.
