Power to the people: How supermarket policy ignited collective action

Power to the people: How supermarket policy ignited collective action.

Power to the people: How supermarket policy ignited collective action. Image: Robert Kneschke / Shutterstock.com.

In France, a major supermarket chain decided to stop accepting cash, sparking a response from a group of 50 individuals who came up with a plan.

They organised a big shopping event, filling their shopping trolleys to the brim and choosing human-operated checkouts instead of automated ones.

When it was time to pay, each person used cash instead of cards.

The impact was immediate.

Supermarket staff were overwhelmed, and management was thrown off balance.

Despite the chaos, the group stayed calm and insisted politely on paying with cash, not giving in to other options.

Faced with such strong resistance, the supermarket quickly changed course and started accepting cash again.

Similar acts of group defiance have been seen in other places too.

At petrol stations, customers have filled up their tanks but paid with cash inside.

In restaurants, groups of friends have left their phones and cards behind, choosing to pay with cash.

This trend shows up in many parts of daily life in France, proving the power of organised groups.

It’s when people come together with a purpose that they can challenge the way things are.

The lesson is clear: when a community acts together, even against tough odds, they have a big impact.

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Written by

Anna Ellis

Originally from Derbyshire, Anna has lived in the middle of nowhere on the Costa Blanca for 19 years. She is passionate about her animal family including four dogs and four horses, musicals and cooking.

Comments


    • Linda Young

      26 April 2024 • 11:12

      This is what we must all do because when we lose cash we will be total slaves to these corrupt corporations and banks. They will then have the power to make you destitute in a nano-second and this must not be allowed to happen. Governments will do nothing because they are part of the plan in controlling the masses. We are losing our freedoms every single day and it starts with little things like not accepting cash. I have on a number of occasions left a supermarket trolley full of food at checkouts where there are only a few cashiers working and the queue is a kilometre long. It is a disgrace for supermarkets for allowing this to happen, Aldis, Lidls and Carrefore are famous for this trick but I am not prepared to help them save money by having few staff on duty. I just walk away leaving them a trolley full of food including frozen goods.

      Reply
    • Philip

      26 April 2024 • 12:34

      Use cash whenever convenient. Banks make money on card transactions and big brother can check every movement of your life if you use cards for every transaction. What do you do if a bank decides at short notice to close your account and disables your cards? Use cash. So much rubbish is talked about money laundering, my 30 euros paid to the cleaner is not in the same league as the multi million euro drug traders who have no problem.

      Reply
    • CCW60

      26 April 2024 • 15:23

      A united people supporting a cause is a powerful and beautiful thing. I concur with previous commenters.

      Reply
    • Lawrence Nolan

      27 April 2024 • 04:09

      Big brother has been entering our lives for years now and it’s about time we the little people got together all around the and insisted cash still is king.

      Reply
    • Annette Trant Tina

      28 April 2024 • 10:04

      We need the Freedom of cash ! To spend, give, where and where We want. Many rely on their tips in a lot of jobs ( hairdressing, waitressing for example ) and Charities

      Reply
    • Catherine Deacon

      29 April 2024 • 18:20

      Totally agree with all the above comments.
      We have to be able to pay with Cash as well as credit cards. Not just one or the other! Especially for the vunerable retired population or the blind!

      Reply

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