ATM wanted: hub.brussels surveyed the needs of merchants and consumers

Over the past few months, researchers from hub.brussels roamed the streets of Brussels with one question: How can residents and merchants in Brussels get better access to ATMs? You can read the result in a comprehensive study that objectively identifies the current situation and the needs of Brussels residents.

In recent years, we have seen a restructuring of the ATM network in Belgium. A change that was not universally welcomed with enthusiasm. Because access to cash is also important to the economic fabric of Brussels’ districts, the Secretary of State for Economic Transition commissioned our agency to conduct an in-depth study on the subject.

Wanted: money for consumer and trader

A Brussels resident’s wallet still contains cash notes according to the responses of more than 2,000 shoppers and merchants surveyed. As many as 80 percent of respondents carry cash and 90 percent have withdrawn cash from ATMs in the past three months.

And it is also spent, because although it is sometimes considered an obsolete means of payment, cash is still as widely used as electronic alternatives, especially for purchases from local merchants.

Merchants also like to see their customers pay, because unlike electronic payments, they do not have to pay fees on these transactions. However, it is notable that many merchants are unaware of the true cost of these electronic payments to their business. 50% of merchants surveyed say they do not know the costs associated with payment solutions such as Bancontact, meal vouchers or Payconiq.

Mister Cache

In June 2023, the Brussels-Capital Region had some 410 ATMs. That’s 87 ATMs too few if you compare that figure to the federal agreement that calls for 1 ATM per 2,500 residents. The distribution of locations across the Region is also not always ideal. For example, Forest is by far the worst endowed municipality – there, our teams counted only one ATM in the entire territory of the municipality. This is 1 ATM for 28,862 people! The situation is also precarious in the districts of Sablon, Marolles, Saint-Job (Uccle) and on Chaussée de Ninove (Molenbeek and Anderlecht). Merchants and customers agree: the ATM network is currently not meeting their needs (less than 50% satisfaction, and even less among merchants).

The study also provides an example of how it could be done. It includes a simulation with a similar number of locations to the current situation, but where the location of the ATMs is redistributed. And what turns out? If at least one ATM is provided in each commercial centre and one ATM is installed for every 125 commercial businesses, all the densely populated commercial districts can be equipped without significantly increasing the size of the current network.