Survey on the use of selected payment methods in retail stores in Germany 2024
In 2024, 86 percent of respondents reported using cash for payments in stationary retail stores, confirming that cash remains the most popular payment method in Germany. While cash usage has declined significantly compared to card or digital payments in other parts of Northern Europe, such as the Netherlands and Scandinavia, Germany still ranks among the top ten cash-preferring countries globally. However, debit card payments are also widely adopted, with 72 percent of respondents using them. In contrast, only about 24 percent indicated that they utilize mobile payment options via smartphones or smartwatches.
