Cash is no longer king as cards take over, BRC figures show

Cash is now being used for less than half of all retail transactions, new figures show.

Debit cards are now increasingly being used even for lower value payments, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

The change was partly the result of contactless technology.

Figures for 2015 showed cash was used in just over 47% of all retail transactions, down from 52% the previous year.

It was the biggest percentage point drop for five years and means almost 20% fewer transactions are made with cash than in 2011, the BRC said.

Image Caption:Contactless cards are proving popular

Its report looked at the methods of payments UK shoppers are using when buying goods in store and online.

Figures last year from the Payments Council have already shown that, overall, cash had been overtaken by card and online transactions measured by value.

The latest data looks at the number of retail transactions.

Tom Ironside, BRC director of business and regulation, said: "Though the use of cash has been in decline for some time now, this year it has seen a significant dip.

"Crucially, retailers are seeing cash used in under half of all transactions for the first time, marking a real watershed in the payments landscape.

"However, cash remains an important payment method for many customers and will be with us for years to come.

"It seems that more and more of us are turning to our debit cards to make payments especially as new contactless technology is proving incredibly popular for those lower value transactions that used to be the mainstay for cash."

Cash is no longer king as cards take over, BRC figures show

Cash is now being used for less than half of all retail transactions, new figures show.

Debit cards are now increasingly being used even for lower value payments, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

The change was partly the result of contactless technology.

Figures for 2015 showed cash was used in just over 47% of all retail transactions, down from 52% the previous year.

It was the biggest percentage point drop for five years and means almost 20% fewer transactions are made with cash than in 2011, the BRC said.

Image Caption:Contactless cards are proving popular

Its report looked at the methods of payments UK shoppers are using when buying goods in store and online.

Figures last year from the Payments Council have already shown that, overall, cash had been overtaken by card and online transactions measured by value.

The latest data looks at the number of retail transactions.

Tom Ironside, BRC director of business and regulation, said: "Though the use of cash has been in decline for some time now, this year it has seen a significant dip.

"Crucially, retailers are seeing cash used in under half of all transactions for the first time, marking a real watershed in the payments landscape.

"However, cash remains an important payment method for many customers and will be with us for years to come.

"It seems that more and more of us are turning to our debit cards to make payments especially as new contactless technology is proving incredibly popular for those lower value transactions that used to be the mainstay for cash."

Cash is no longer king as cards take over, BRC figures show

Cash is now being used for less than half of all retail transactions, new figures show.

Debit cards are now increasingly being used even for lower value payments, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

The change was partly the result of contactless technology.

Figures for 2015 showed cash was used in just over 47% of all retail transactions, down from 52% the previous year.

It was the biggest percentage point drop for five years and means almost 20% fewer transactions are made with cash than in 2011, the BRC said.

Image Caption:Contactless cards are proving popular

Its report looked at the methods of payments UK shoppers are using when buying goods in store and online.

Figures last year from the Payments Council have already shown that, overall, cash had been overtaken by card and online transactions measured by value.

The latest data looks at the number of retail transactions.

Tom Ironside, BRC director of business and regulation, said: "Though the use of cash has been in decline for some time now, this year it has seen a significant dip.

"Crucially, retailers are seeing cash used in under half of all transactions for the first time, marking a real watershed in the payments landscape.

"However, cash remains an important payment method for many customers and will be with us for years to come.

"It seems that more and more of us are turning to our debit cards to make payments especially as new contactless technology is proving incredibly popular for those lower value transactions that used to be the mainstay for cash."

Cash is no longer king as cards take over, BRC figures show

Cash is now being used for less than half of all retail transactions, new figures show.

Debit cards are now increasingly being used even for lower value payments, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

The change was partly the result of contactless technology.

Figures for 2015 showed cash was used in just over 47% of all retail transactions, down from 52% the previous year.

It was the biggest percentage point drop for five years and means almost 20% fewer transactions are made with cash than in 2011, the BRC said.

Image Caption:Contactless cards are proving popular

Its report looked at the methods of payments UK shoppers are using when buying goods in store and online.

Figures last year from the Payments Council have already shown that, overall, cash had been overtaken by card and online transactions measured by value.

The latest data looks at the number of retail transactions.

Tom Ironside, BRC director of business and regulation, said: "Though the use of cash has been in decline for some time now, this year it has seen a significant dip.

"Crucially, retailers are seeing cash used in under half of all transactions for the first time, marking a real watershed in the payments landscape.

"However, cash remains an important payment method for many customers and will be with us for years to come.

"It seems that more and more of us are turning to our debit cards to make payments especially as new contactless technology is proving incredibly popular for those lower value transactions that used to be the mainstay for cash."

Thousands flee migrant camp after 'deliberate' fire on Lesbos

Up to 4,000 people have fled one of the main migrant camps on the Greek island of Lesbos after a large fire broke out.

Police said there was "no doubt" it was lit deliberately by some of those inside the Moria facility and the blaze was getting worse because winds were fanning the flames.

No one was believed to have been injured in the fire which damaged tents and housing units.

But among those who had to evacuate the camp were 150 youngsters who were moved to a children's village on Lesbos.

Stoptober: Number of smokers in England hits record low

The number of smokers in England has dropped to the lowest level since records began.

Currently 16.9% of the population smoke, according to figures released by Public Health England.

In England there are double the number of ex-smokers (14.6 million people), compared to current smokers (7.2 million).

The figures have been released as PHE launched its annual Stoptober campaign - and this year it is focusing its efforts online.

The figures have been released as PHE launched its annual Stoptober campaign - and this year it is focusing its efforts online.

A number of celebrities have joined the effort, including former England cricketer Phil Tufnell.

New York bombing suspect charged with attempted murder

Ahmad Khan Rahami, the suspect in the New York-New Jersey bomb plot, has been charged with five counts of attempted murder.

The charges, which also include weapons offences, stem from a gun battle with police in which the 28-year-old naturalised US citizen from Afghanistan was taken into custody.

The FBI said Rahami was wanted in connection with a pipe bomb blast in Seaside Park, New Jersey on Saturday morning and the detonation of a pressure-cooker bomb in Manhattan that evening that injured 29 people.

A second unexploded device was found close to the scene of the New York blast.

Image Caption:Ahmad Khan Rahami after being detained

Prosecutors say they are still considering charges over those bombings.

:: Who is bombings suspect Ahmad Khan Rahami?

On Sunday night, five explosive devices were also found in a bin at a train station in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Homeland Security officials have told Reuters they believe those devices are linked to the New York bombing.

After being captured on Monday, Rahami was pictured on a stretcher being taken into an ambulance, with a bloodied bandage on his right arm and moving his head from side to side with his eyes open.

Video:NY bombings suspect held after shootout

Since being detained Rahami, who was not on US anti-terrorism databases, has undergone surgery for a gunshot wound to the leg.

The suspect was sleeping in the doorway of a bar when the owner reported him to police and an officer went to investigate and recognised him as Rahami.

Police said the man pulled out a gun and shot the officer, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, in the chest and then a shootout erupted with other officers before Rahami was captured.

A second officer was injured in the hand in the gun battle in Linden, New Jersey. Both are expected to recover.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said officials have every reason to believe the series of blasts "was an act of terror," though investigators said the exact motive is not yet clear.

Having previously ruled out a link between the Manhattan bombing and international terrorism, New York governor Andrew Cuomo has now acknowledged "it may be foreign related".

With Rahami's arrest, officials said they have no indication there are more bombs or suspects to find, though they warned they are still investigating.

Authorities closed in on Rahami after a fingerprint and DNA taken from one of the New York sites and "clear as day" CCTV footage from the bombing scene helped identify him, law enforcement sources told the Associated Press.

Five people were pulled over on Sunday night travelling in a car associated with Rahami, but were questioned and released.

Officials said at least one of his relatives was in the vehicle, which appeared to be going towards JFK airport in New York after coming from New Jersey.