A government inquiry proposed last year, among other things, that stores selling essential goods, such as food, should be forced to accept cash.
The Swedish Central Bank agrees in its response, which has now been submitted. And the banks' responsibility must be clarified and expanded. They must accept companies' daily and petty cash, which is a prerequisite for cash to be usable.
"People should always be able to pay for food, healthcare, and medicines both digitally and with cash. The increasingly uncertain global situation, increased cyber attacks, and the major power outage in Southern Europe demonstrate the importance of being able to pay even when the internet is down," says Riksbank Governor Erik Thedéen in a press release.
The Swedish Central Bank also believes that savings banks should be forced to accept banknotes from private individuals who want to make deposits - a requirement that is currently lacking in legislation.
Another heavyweight respondent, the Financial Supervisory Authority, states that a deeper analysis of the role of cash in the payment market is needed before new legislation is adopted. The FSA also notes that cash entails an increased risk of money laundering.
