There seems to be a lot of agonizing going on at the moment about how people should pay for goods and services. And with two armed robberies in Amsterdam yesterday, it is understandable that the move is away from cash.

Shops hate cash anyway, because it is expensive to deal with. The latest idea is to pay with your mobile telephone.
Today the Rabobank is launching a scheme in C1000 supermarkets where you can wave your mobile at a spot on the cash register for instant debit from your bank account. Yesterday a company called Paytech pipped the bank to the post and launched the same idea in Rotterdam branches of Albert Heijn supermarket.
Not that consumers are queueing up for the privilege. And if those interviewed for last night’s news bulletin are anything to go by, it’s the young who are most underwhelmed by the whole idea.
Most of us are now used to using bank credit cards and pin numbers when shopping, but we dug our heels in when confronted with prepaid cards. However, soon we will all need a prepaid card to travel on public transport when the new payment system is rolled out nationally.
The powers-that-be always seem to find a way of foisting their new electronic gizmos on the public. It will be the same with pay-by-mobile.