BI Warns Merchants Against Rejecting Cash After Viral Roti’O Incident

Bank Indonesia has strongly criticized a store for refusing to accept cash after a video went viral showing an elderly woman unable to buy bread at a Roti’O outlet because she wanted to pay with cash.

In the video, the woman was told she could not complete her purchase because she did not have a digital payment application using QRIS, Bank Indonesia’s national QR code payment system. A store employee explained that the outlet only accepted QRIS payments. The situation was later resolved when a man paid for the bread using his own digital payment app.

Responding to the incident through its official Instagram account, Bank Indonesia emphasized that the rupiah is the country’s official legal tender and must be accepted for transactions.

Deputy Governor Filianingsih Hendarta stated that Indonesia’s payment system provides both cash and non-cash options. She stressed that the choice of payment method should be based on convenience for both consumers and businesses.

She also clarified that QRIS is merely a payment method, not a form of currency. “The actual currency remains the rupiah, whether it comes from cash, bank savings, electronic money, or credit cards,” she said.

Filianingsih added that the use of the rupiah is mandatory for all transactions in Indonesia, and the use of foreign currencies is prohibited.

Separately, Bank Indonesia’s Head of Communications, Ramdan Denny Prakoso, explained that the law explicitly forbids refusing the rupiah as a means of payment. He cited Article 33 paragraph (2) of Law №7/2011 on Currency.

He noted that the only exception applies when merchants have reasonable grounds to doubt the authenticity of the cash. While digital payment systems such as QRIS are permitted, he emphasized that businesses must still accept cash, particularly for members of the public who rely on it.

Roti’O later issued an apology for the incident and any inconvenience caused. The company stated that its use of non-cash payment systems is intended to improve customer convenience and offer special promotions. It also said it has reviewed its procedures to improve service in the future.

Source : https://jakartaglobe.id/business/bank-indonesia-rebukes-cash-refusal-after-elderly-woman-denied-bread-purchase