This Thursday, April 20, 2023, the Banque de France is publishing a new report on “means of payment and fiduciary money”. The objective of the study is to know the habits of the French regarding financial transactions. What is the most used payment method? Contrary to public opinion, the species comes first. Cash and coins will represent 50% of transactions in 2022. Even more so, across the euro zone as a whole, this figure rises to 59%.

However, the Banque de France specifies that the use of cash is declining in France. In fact, more than one in two consumers prefers to pay by credit card rather than cash. “However, the bank card benefits from its practical side (speed and ease of use)”, specifies the bulletin. Find out in our slideshow below how to save even when using cash. How to explain this decline, and this slight revival of its use in France?

Behind cash, 43% of transactions are carried out by bank card. According to the Banque de France, this slight increase in the use of small change could only be temporary. Indeed, the health crisis would have contributed to the loss of this means of payment. In 2019, 59% of transactions were in “cash”. The Bank therefore favored the pandemic as the main reason for this decline.

However, the increase in Internet purchases could also explain this drop. Thus, “in 2022, 20% (12% in 2019) of non-recurring payments are now made online in France, mainly and increasingly for purchases of basic necessities” such as food shopping, previously paid for in cash. In addition, 57% of consumers think it is important to have this payment method as an option when making purchases. The latter is particularly often used for local shops such as bakeries.

If you prefer to pay this way too, check out our tips for managing your spending in our slideshow below.