Philadelphia bans cashless stores with carve-outs for some businesses

FILE PHOTO: Amazon associate Cindy Umipig checks inventory at a smaller format Amazon Go store in the Blue Shift Amazon office space at 300 Pine Street in downtown Seattle, Washington, U.S., December 10, 2018. Picture taken December 10, 2018. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson/File Photo

Philadelphia will become the first major US city to force shops to take cash after Mayor Jim Kenney signed off Feb 28 on a law that would ban so-called cashless stores. 

With the exception of some businesses, the ordinance will prohibit most retail locations from refusing to take cash or charging cash-paying customers a higher price. Violators of the law, which will take effect July 1, will face fines of as much as US$2,000 (RM8,151).