The Flemish organisation for the self-employed Unizo is calling for ATMs to be installed in shops throughout Belgium, allowing shopowners to deposit the cash they receive safely.
This would double the number of cash dispensers in Belgium, said Unizo’s director Danny Van Assche. He explained that "if 5% of the 75,000 retailers in Belgium were to install a machine, that would add a total of 4,000 ATMs," which would benefit Belgians aggrieved at the lack of cash machines in the country.
A survey conducted by European Central Bank revealed that 27% of Belgian respondents found it difficult to get their hands on cash, which is set to become even harder as there will be 1,000 fewer ATMs by 2025.
Even if a recent agreement by the Federal Government would see an additional 200 cash machines installed, one in each municipality, this number is "ridiculously low" for Van Assche. The organisation instead wants Belgium to follow France and Germany’s lead by allowing ATMs in their shops.
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Additionally, this would also benefit shopowners who have to deposit the money they have earned through cash transactions at their local ATM. Unizo stated that the current disposition represents a safety risk to retailers, who have to transport large amounts of cash which they then have to deposit at their bank, with no shielding or protection. Often, they are also met with massive queues.
The organisation sees the installation of cash machines in shops as a solution to these issues, stating that before 2017, 50 shops already had ATMs. This was before a security law was passed that only allowed authorised security guards to replenish the ATMs.
