Mobile commerce sparks decline in cash usage in the UK

UK consumers may be flocking to mobile commerce and abandoning cash

The British Retail Consortium has been keeping track of a surprising trend that has emerged in the United Kingdom. The organization has reported that cash usage among consumers saw a sharp drop in 2012. This trend has been growing more pronounced as consumers grow more reliant on mobile technology. Smartphones and tablets are allowing consumers to engage in mobile commerce, which has lead them to move away from traditional forms of commerce for the sake of convenience.

Consumers are turning to cards and mobile devices to purchase products

The British Retail Consortium has released the results of a new survey that shows the decline of cash usage among consumers. According to the survey, cash usage fell by nearly 10% throughout the United Kingdom in 2012. Many consumers appear to be using their debit and credit cards more often, with others favoring mobile commerce platforms. Notably, physical forms of currency are losing grounds with young, tech-savvy consumers that have a great deal of experience with mobile technology.

Retail sector sees growth in mobile commerce activity

While consumers appear to be moving toward mobile commerce, payments made from smartphones and tablets still represent a small volume of the spending that occurs in many sectors. The retail sector has seen the most activity when it comes to mobile commerce, but spending from mobile devices is still offset by the use of cash and other forms of commerce. Consumers that are not interested in mobile spending are showing interest in another aspect of mobile commerce, however, as they begin to embrace the usefulness of banking applications.

Mobile payments unlikely to completely replace cash for the foreseeable future

Mobile commerce is expected to continue growing throughout the United Kingdom, especially as more businesses begin offering comprehensive mobile services. Mobile commerce may eventually replace the use of cash, but this is not expected to happen for several years. For now, consumers will continue to rely on cash and their debit and credit cards until the challenges that mobile commerce faces have been overcome.