Farm shop in Ottersberg: From September only cash payments due to high fees!

Farm shop in Ottersberg: From September only cash payments due to high fees!

In a surprising twist, Lisi Burghart's farm shop in Ottersberg will only accept cash from September 20, 2025. The reason for this decision is the prohibitively high bank fees that arise from using the EC card reader. Burghart states that each transaction deducts an impressive 0.8 percent of the purchase price. This has proven to be more and more problematic in recent months, as customers are sometimes unable to pay if their bank rejects the debit.

This decision is the result of careful consideration and sleepless nights. “I don’t want to add the additional costs to the prices of my products,” explains the farmer. Especially because her farm shop is only open four days a month, the fees are simply not affordable. Waiving card payments is therefore not just a business decision, but also a consideration of how you can continue to offer your customers fair prices. Mercury reports about the background and effects of this change.

The return to the roots

Aside from the discussion about payment methods, Burghart is pleased to be able to provide her customers with a fresh and regional offering. The products include heifer meat, eggs from rheas, chickens and quails, as well as honey and juicy spelled cake. The decision to return to cash payments allows her to concentrate on what is important: her own farming and the quality of her products.

At a time when cashless payments are becoming increasingly important in retail, this decision is a notable step backwards. Loud LWK Lower Saxony Card payments are now expected by many customers, as almost 60 percent of all retail purchases in 2021 were made by card. Nevertheless, Lisi Burghart is convinced that her decision is in the best interests of her company.

Customers understand the decision

Burghart believed it was important to adapt to changing payment options, but the reality was different when the new debit card became widespread. The hassle of switching to credit and debit card payments would come at a cost of up to 3 percent per booking - another hot potato that she simply didn't want to touch. Lomazoma describes that many farm shops and cafés have similar challenges and therefore have to look for individual solutions that fit their processes.

For customers, this temporarily means that they have to pay in cash. But with a solid selection of fresh, regional food, paying in cash certainly won't be a problem for many people - there's something there!