The new Federal Government aims to reinstate bank machines in shops, a move welcomed by Buurtsuper.be, the advocacy group for independent supermarkets.
Buurtsuper.be director Luc Ardies highlights that this initiative not only provides an extra service to customers but also benefits the supermarkets themselves.
Before 2017, about forty supermarkets had ATM machines according to Buurtsuper.be. However, due to the Private Security Act, refilling these machines was classified as a security activity that only certified services could perform. Consequently, the British company supplying these machines had to withdraw from Belgium.
The De Wever government now plans to amend the law. The coalition agreement states, "In addition to the banking sector’s ATM network, we wish to expand the offering of ATMs through retail."
"We will adjust the Private Security Act to allow for the installation and management of ATMs in commercial premises, while always considering various security aspects," it continues.
Buurtsuper.be expresses satisfaction with this development. "Such ATMs can significantly reduce the amount of cash in stores, decreasing the number of cash transports that managers or employees have to arrange to the bank," says Ardies. Additionally, this initiative provides an extra service to customers.
