11102 Sudden clamp down

In the area I live in.....no changes to accepting cards

No - I haven't seen any reluctance to take Bancomat cards, nor credit cards (which I avoid like the plague because not only does the retailer lose out a bit, but I get charged by the card company, too!)

Could it be that you are using a non Italian 'switch' debit card? If so (thinking like a eurozone retailer) I'd be reluctant to accept it, because there is a big possibility that I'd get shafted on the exchange rate.

Hi
No, its been in three places. a pet shop, clothes shop and a restaurant, and UK and Italian cards.They all said its due to the high bank charges.

Bank charges on cards have always been excessive, but perhaps businesses are desperate for cash....

Its not a phenomenon that is restricted to Italy - I know of some small businesses over here [UK] that have stopped taking Credit Cards [but not necessarily Debit Cards] because of costs.

[quote=deborahandricky;104737]Hi
No, its been in three places. a pet shop, clothes shop and a restaurant, and UK and Italian cards.They all said its due to the high bank charges.[/quote]

we are still taking cards and in fact prefer them card commissions are now fiscally deductable anyway,i usually pay by card when i can too.

Interesting post because I have found that some branches of Eurospin where "refusing" Visa cards saying that there was something wrong with my card. I checked and there was not, nor was there any sign of the card being rejected by my credit card provider. It does seem that cash is the preferred currency around here.
My word things are so much cheaper in England, apart from food....It astonished me when I was there last week.

Yes food is very expensive here, most notably meat from supermarkets. What did you find cheaper then Noble???

Almost too many things to mention Sally. Quality clothes for men and women. Anything to do with babies and clothes for them. eg. High quality wooden toys for babies and small children cannot be found in and around Perugia. Toddlers wooden brick filled push carts, dolls houses etc. All easy to find in UK. Fisher Price large toys were MUCH cheaper than the same in Umbria, one example was a sit on toddlers toy at Scolastica, Perugia priced over 60 euros but only £15 at Wilkinsons! Household equipment, domestic appliances, I could go on and on. Those with their money in sterling would I think, do far better to shop using English shopping sites and having the goods delivered, that includes clothing.

It's instructive to have a look at current prices in both places, and the Lidl web-sites offer a convenient way:
Lidl UK pressure cooker £29.35
Lidl Italia €49

At current exchange rates (say 1.17) it would be €34.34 in the UK. Even at a rate earlier in the year, let's say (1.45) it would be €42. The differences are significant.