Cash is still king for some hawkers despite 'go digital' push

Reasons they resist e-payments include fear of inconveniencing customers, lack of digital literacy

- Chin Hui Shan

Among West Coast Food Centre's rows of food stalls - many of which have QR codes plastered on their store fronts - Ms Angie Sim's noodle stall stands out with its "Cash Only" sign.

She is one of a group of hawkers who accept only cash for purchases made at their stalls, while others have adopted cashless payment methods such as payment via QR code under the Singapore Quick Response Code (SGQR) platform.

"For me, using cash is easier and more convenient," said the 65-year-old, who added that most of her customers are older, less tech-savvy, and usually carry cash.

"When I see physical cash, I feel happy," said Ms Sim, who has worked at the food centre with her stall partner for over 20 years.

They are among stall owners across eight hawker centres in Singapore that The Sunday Times spoke to who continue to resist digital payments. They cited reasons such as a lack of digital literacy, poor eyesight, and fear of inconveniencing customers while they struggle with devices.

They still jiggle coins and count paper notes even though more than 11,500 other hawkers have started using SGQR, a standardised QR code launched in 2018 to simplify e-payments from multiple mobile e-wallets.

On SGQR, hawkers need not pay the 0.5 per cent transaction fee for their first $20,000 of monthly transactions under the Hawkers Go Digital programme, which started in 2020.

On Oct 10, Enterprise Singapore and the Infocomm Media Development Authority said the fee waiver will be extended to end-2025, as part of a plan to get the 18,000 stallholders in government-run food centres on board with digital payments.

At ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre, a drinks stall owner in his 70s, who declined to be named, said he has trouble remembering how to navigate digital platforms due to his age.