Woolworths scraps controversial cashless trial after public backlash March 4, 2021 Woolworths is scrapping a trial of electronic-only payments across some of its stores, after customers criticised it for excluding people who prefer to pay with cash. The cashless payment trial, which began in July last year, was expanded in October to include a total of 14 stores across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane where the supermarket said most payments were made electronically. In promoting the trial, Woolworths claimed it made shopping “seamless” for inner-city customers. But some shoppers criticised the move on social media and threatened to boycott Woolworths. One customer on Twitter said a Woolworths employee in Sydney paid for a man’s groceries after the man became distressed at the checkout because he only had cash.