On 23rd March 2020, a general lockdown was imposed on the United Kingdom following the rise of national Covid-19 cases. This triggered, almost overnight, a concerning narrative on the use of cash during this period.
While global cash demand has varied across the world since the emergence of Covid-19, the UK’s use of cash halved in the nation's first week of lockdown.
Misinformation, fake news, and concerns of cross-contamination have been cited by Brett Scott - activist and independent journalist - as a reason why Brits have moved away from cash in his recent article Why the War on Covid must not become a War on Cash. Read more
As Scott explains, the rhetoric circulating Covid communications in the UK has had a significant impact on public perceptions of cash. Narratives perpetuated by seemingly harmless service notices used in supermarkets, for example, are one of the contributing sources that have discouraged the use of cash for everyday transactions.
