Supermarket big ASDA axes main service at 82 garages throughout UK
It’s now been confirmed that these Asda garages in the UK won’t accept cash, meaning that drivers are only allowed to use pay-at-the-pump systems, which has raised concerns
ASDA will no longer accept cash at some petrol stations across the UK. The change from the Supermarket giants began to come into fruition in 2022, and now it’s having a major effect on plenty of motorists in the UK, who are facing unexpected temporary blocks on their bank accounts when filling up at selected Asda petrol stations.
Research suggests 82 Asda petrol stations have switched to card-only payments, which frequently impose a pre-authorisation hold of up to £99, causing issues.
This has changed drastically from the previous standard hold amount at pay-at-pump stations, which was just £1, emphasising the difference and why people around the UK are getting frustrated by the change.
However, the responsibility doesn’t lie solely with Asda, as the pre-authorisation hold is mandated by Visa and Mastercard. This process temporarily reserves funds to ensure the card can cover potential fuel costs before any fuel is dispensed.
Many drivers are surprised by how this has happened, as people who are less fortunate with lower bank balances won’t be able to afford the new regulation. Moreover, there is a short amount of time before the excess funds are typically released after fuelling is completed, but this won’t help matters for the population that struggles with finances, creating a short-term inconvenience.
However, there is a way drivers can avoid this slightly, as they can pay inside at the kiosk instead of at the pump. Asda explained this, and a spokesperson told The Mirror : “This was the case at their forecourts, with the fee only applied to pay-at-pump transactions, and drivers can typically avoid paying it by using their card at the filling station kiosk.”
It’s becoming the norm now in the UK, as more than 90% of transactions are already conducted digitally, almost bringing an end to cash transactions as a whole. Even though there is a way around it, the policy has concerned drivers who prefer using cash or struggle with freezes of their funds on cards, as the reliability of cash is slowly vanishing.
For these 82 though, it’s completely disappeared, and many will be left aggrieved at the situation.
The following Asda locations no longer accept cash for fuel payments:
Aberdare
Ashington
Barnsley
Bideford
Birchwood
Bolton
Bootle
Strand
Bradford
Bridge of Dee
Bristol
Whitchurch
Byker
Caerphilly
Cannock
Canterbury
Cardiff Bay
Chadderton
Charlton
Clayton Green
Colchester
Colne
Corby
Cumbernauld
Darlington
Derby
Donnington Wood
Dudley
Eastlands
Eastleigh
Elgin
Falmouth
Fareham
Fleetwood
Gloucester
Golborne
Govan
Grantham
Great Bridge
Great Yarmouth
Greenhithe
Hartlepool
Havant
High Wycombe
Horwich
Hulme
Hunts Cross
Ipswich
Kettering
Kilmarnock
Kingswood
Kirkcaldy
Leigh
Lincoln
Mansfield
Merthyr
Tydfil
Middleton Park
Minworth
Morley
Newport IOW
Newtonards
Norwich
Nottingham
Oldbury
Patchway
Pentwyn
Portlethen
Queslett
Queensferry
Radcliffe
Rochdale
Runcorn
Shirley
Skelmersdale
Slough
Sunderland
Swansea
Swindon
Swindon (Haydon)
Watford
Westbrook
Woking
Sheerwater
Wrexham
York
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