New Jersey and Philadelphia Ban ‘Cashless’ Stores

Philadelphia became the first city to ban cashless stores following the signing of a new law to that effect by Mayor Jim Kenney earlier in the month.

The bill goes into effect this summer.

In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy signed a similar bill into law that goes into effect immediately.

Many stores across the country have gone cashless, in part to improve efficiency at the checkout counter and in part to reduce the risk of robbery and employee theft at the till.

Supporters of the law said its purpose was to protect low-income residents from discrimination.

Locations in the City of Brotherly Love that currently don’t accept cash include the salad chain Sweetgreen, the coffee shop Bluestone Lane, and several outlets at the University of Pennsylvania food hall, Franklin’s Table.

While many people assume shops must accept all forms of legal tender, that simply isn’t the case except in the state of Massachusetts, which has had a little-known law on the books since 1978 to that effect.

Meanwhile, several cities including Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. are considering similar legislation.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)