The printing of the receipt still postponed so that the “French people check the amount of their races”

The little piece of paper will still survive for a few more months. Initially, the end of the systematic printing of the receipt was to occur on January 1, postponed to April 1. This Sunday, the Ministry of Economy and Finance indicated a new shift, “at 1^er august” or to “1^er septemberbecause of inflation. According to Bercy, a new date should be announced early next week.

“It is considered that the time is not right for the measure to come into force“, specified the office of Olivia Grégoire, Minister Delegate in particular for Trade, in the Sunday edition of the Parisian following information published in Free lunch. “We have feedback from the field, we are discussing with consumer associations, with large retailers, who tell us that, faced with inflation, many French people want to check the accuracy of the amount of the shopping they do“, said the firm. What will this measure really change and what are the risks for consumers? Le Figaro make the point.

What will this measure do?

In detail, from 1^er August or 1^er September, cashiers will no longer automatically print customer invoices and will prefer to send the digital receipt by e-mail, SMS, or even QR Code, except at the express request of the consumer. The National Commission for Computing and Liberties (CNIL) specifies that customers must “be informed by display when they go to checkout» that they can always request the paper printout. A third choice also opens up to them when going to the checkout: do not ask for a paper receipt or a dematerialized receipt.

Tickets issued by vending machines, bank receipts, promotional and discount tickets, as well as vouchers, will also be affected by this change. On the other hand, the government provides for some exceptions, for which the ticket will continue to be printed automatically. For example, receipts relating to the purchase of so-called “durable” goods (household appliances, computer equipment, etc.), bank card receipts relating to operations canceled or subject to credit, or even receipts emitted by automatawhose conservation and presentation are necessary to benefit from a product or service“.

Read also“I like to check prices and promotions”: these French always attached to the receipt

Risks for personal data?

As consumers have observed in recent months, some brands and stores have already taken the lead, and ask their customers if they want to receive their ticket by e-mail. According to an Opinéa survey for Twilio, around half of consumers (51%) “note the presence of new solutions that offer customers the possibility of receiving their receipts on alternative media to paper format“. “There will be an information campaign to warn consumers and training on the application of this measure for cashiers“, we also said on the side of the Ministry of the Economy at the end of last year.

But beyond the training of professionals and the awareness of the French to this new habit at their checkout, certain warnings have already been formulated. In particular with regard to personal data. “The preferred solutions should seek to minimise, as much as possible, the collection of personal data, or even avoid it.“, thus indicates the CNIL, for example via the scan of a QR Code. And in the event of the collection of contact details, their reuse for commercial prospecting is regulated. “The merchant must obtain people’s consent or allow them to object, depending on the type of advertising“, specifies the CNIL.

Will merchants be able to defraud on prices?

Some associations also point to the risk of merchant fraud on price differences. “Consumers will have difficulty verifying the total price of their purchases at checkout“, warns Olivier Gayraud, lawyer at the association Consumption Housing Framework of Life (CLCV). Doubts are also expressed for the application of certain rights for the consumer, such as for the legal guarantee of conformity. “How can you make the warranty work without having proof?adds Olivier Gayraud. “A proposal has been made to the government to introduce a measure to print a receipt beyond 25 euros. Unfortunately it was not accepted“, he regrets.

The joint request, in April 2022, of a dozen consumer associations – including UFC-Que Choisir and Familles Rurales -, demanding that the printing of the receipt be “systematically offeredwas also ruled out. “Consumers to mobilize and request the ticket as soon as they feel the need to keep proof», Calls in a post the president of the UFC-Que Choisir Alain Bazot, for whom «the disappearance of the ticket exposes (consumers) to a major setback in their rights : proof of purchase, also making it possible to verify the accuracy of the amount of the transaction, mobilization of legal and commercial guarantees, request for reimbursement in the event of a product recall, or exchange in the event of a problem, etc.» «The measure remains important to accelerate the ecological transition“, we answer the office of Olivia Grégoire.