The Government recently announced that it was delivering on its commitment “to mandate cash acceptance for essential purchases by finalising regulations that require fuel and grocery retailers to accept cash from 1 January 2026.”

The changes mean that, from 1 January 2026, most food and grocery retailers must accept cash for in-person transactions of $500 or less between 7am and 9pm.

Small businesses with aggregate annual turnover under $10 million are generally exempted from this mandate.  However, this mandate still applies to small businesses that choose to share a trademark with a large retailer.

The Government noted that, in addition to the cash mandate for fuel and groceries, consumers also already have the option to pay their bills, including utilities, phone bills and council rates, in cash at their local Australia Post outlet through Post Billpay.

The Government will review this mandate after three years, to ensure it is functioning as intended