And finally… claims of “discrimination and elitism” see Amazon backtrack on cashless shops

The first Amazon Go location—which allows shoppers to grab snacks, premade meals, and other assorted sundries without interacting with a human or automated cashier—hit the headlines last year and the online retail giant has since expanded to 10 locations.

But as Amazon Go expanded, so too did local legislation initiatives in US states necessitating stores’ acceptance of cash—a move meant to protect so-called “unbanked”, lower-income customers who might otherwise be shut out from cashless shops.

New Jersey and Massachusetts both have instituted such laws and other major US cities like Chicago, San Fransisco, and New York are considering following suit.

According to braadcaster CNBC, Amazon’s SVP of physical stores Steve Kessel said at an all-hands meeting last month that the chain would begin exploring how to include good old-fashioned paper money to combat claims of “discrimination and elitism.”