Sun, 09 Nov 2025

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 Honesty boxes should be dying like cash. But many are flourishing

Once found by the roadside offering local produce for a few pence, honesty boxes are being reborn via social media.

* Honesty boxes, traditionally used for cash payments, are flourishing as small traders use QR codes and social media to attract customers.
* Many honesty boxes now use online transfers via QR codes, allowing customers to pay digitally.
* The technology has increased sales for some businesses, with one bakery owner reporting that 90% of customers pay online after scanning the QR code.
* Honesty boxes are being used as a marketing tool on social media, with some businesses filming their re-stocking and posting it online to attract more customers.
* The use of cash is declining in the UK, with half of adults now paying for things by tapping their phone, according to banking trade body UK Finance.
* Some charities are worried that the disappearance of cash will shut people out of all types of retail, particularly those who rely on notes and coins.
* Honesty boxes can be found selling a range of products, from cookies and cakes to oysters and dog treats, with some even using them for digital payments.
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