欧洲中央银行-2020年欧元区消费者支付方式态度报告（无现金社会）（英文）-2021.1-148页_1mb

Summary of the Study on the Payment Attitudes of Consumers in the Euro Area (SPACE)

Core Content

The SPACE study, conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB) in 2019, investigates the payment attitudes and behaviours of consumers in the euro area. It is part of the ECB's efforts to monitor the evolving payment landscape and understand the demand for cash and non-cash payment instruments. The study compares results with the earlier SUCH survey from 2016, highlighting changes in consumer preferences and usage patterns over time.

The study covers POS (point of sale) and P2P (person-to-person) payments, remote payments (e.g., e-shopping, bill payments), and cash usage. It also explores the factors influencing payment behaviour, including access to payment instruments, consumer preferences, and demographic characteristics.

Main Findings

1. Payment Instruments Usage

• Cash remains the most used payment instrument for POS and P2P transactions in the euro area:
  • 73% of the volume of POS and P2P transactions used cash.
  • 27% used non-cash instruments.
• Card payments are the most common form of non-cash payments, accounting for 24% of the volume.
• Contactless technology is increasingly used, with 38% of card payments made via contactless methods.
• In terms of transaction count, cash was used in 79% of transactions, while cards accounted for 19%.
• In value terms, cash transactions made up 48% of total transactions, compared to 41% for card transactions.

2. Payment Frequency and Value

• On average, euro area citizens made 1.6 POS and P2P transactions per day, with an average value of €25.6.
• 48% of these transactions were made in local shops, supermarkets, and street markets, while 19% were in restaurants, bars, cafés, and hotels.

3. Remote Payments

• Online shopping has become a significant part of the payment landscape:
  • Online transactions accounted for 7% of all POS and P2P transactions.
  • In value terms, they made up 17% of total POS and P2P transactions.
• Cards were the most used payment method for online purchases, followed by electronic payment solutions (e.g., PayPal) and credit transfers.
• Bill payments are mostly cashless:
  • 89% of bill payments were made without cash.
  • 41% were made via direct debit, and 20% via credit transfer.
  • 11% were made in cash, particularly for utilities.
• On average, euro area citizens made 0.93 bill payments per week.

4. Consumer Preferences

• Consumers prefer cashless payment instruments, but cash usage remains high:
  • 49% of respondents preferred cards or other cashless methods (up from 43% in 2016).
  • 27% preferred cash (down from 32% in 2016).
  • 24% were indifferent.
• 55% of respondents considered cash important or very important for the future.

5. Cash as a Store of Value

• 34% of respondents stored cash at home or in a safe place as a precautionary measure.
• This reflects the perception of cash as a store of value, especially in times of uncertainty or technological disruption.

6. Differences Across Countries

• There are significant differences in payment behaviour across the euro area:
  • Luxembourg had the highest number of online transactions (1.75 per week).
  • Cyprus had the lowest (0.14 per week).
• Payment preferences and access vary by demographic factors such as income, education, and age.

7. Impact of the Pandemic

• The coronavirus pandemic appears to have accelerated the shift away from cash:
  • 40% of respondents said they used less cash since the pandemic began.
  • 46% certainly and 41% probably would continue to use less cash post-pandemic.
• Contactless payments became more convenient, contributing to the decline in cash usage.

Key Information

• Methodology:

  • The study used payment diaries and questionnaires.
  • It included 17 euro area countries (excluding Germany and the Netherlands).
  • Germany and the Netherlands used their own surveys, with data integrated into the SPACE analysis.

• Sample Design:

  • The sample was weighted to ensure demographic representativeness.
  • The survey was conducted in three waves from March to December 2019.
  • In Malta and Cyprus, interviews were conducted face-to-face due to the lack of representative online panels.

• Data Collection:

  • The survey used CAWI (online) and CATI (telephone) methods.
  • F2F (face-to-face) interviews were used in Malta and Cyprus.
  • The total number of respondents was 41,155, with 68,023 POS and P2P transactions reported.

• Validation:

  • The study used demographic quotas and balancing variables to reduce bias.
  • The integration of data from Germany and the Netherlands was done with adjusted weights to reflect their population shares in the euro area.

Conclusion

The SPACE study provides a comprehensive overview of payment attitudes and behaviours in the euro area. It confirms that cash is still the dominant payment method, but its share is gradually declining due to the rise of cashless alternatives. The pandemic has further influenced this trend, with many consumers reporting a preference for digital payment methods. The study highlights the need for continued monitoring of payment trends and the importance of ensuring cash availability and financial inclusion.

The findings also support the Eurosystem's Cash 2030 strategy, which aims to preserve cash as a reliable, competitive, and widely accepted payment instrument.