Why do Germans prefer cash when paying

Lots of countries still like the use of cash, it's not just Germany.

Compared to Japan, a highly developed country where cash is used for almost everything, Germany is already very advanced in the use of electronic payments.
There was once, long before the Corona age, an initiative trying to ban cash from butcheries - because of the fear of cross-contamination by hands touching money and raw meat. A subsequent scientific study showed that there is no such danger - for some reason (and certainly counter-intuitively) cash seems to be far more sterile than you think (and butchers are therefore still allowed to handle it).

Thanks for the info. However you are still prone to losing money through bag snatching, pickpocketing etc. Whereas electronic payments like apple pay is far more safe

Rishard Amod wrote:

However you are still prone to losing money through bag snatching, pickpocketing etc.

These things are so rare in Germany that it is not a real concern.
I personally have been cheated electronically more often than with real cash.

Rishard Amod wrote:

Thanks for the info. However you are still prone to losing money through bag snatching, pickpocketing etc. Whereas electronic payments like apple pay is far more safe

No, unless one is incredible careless, getting pick-pocketed or robbed almost never happens here. And lots of people don't like the bank fees or oversight that banks or payment platforms have over one's purchases. I personally pay cash for everything except monthly or yearly ongoing bills. And its not like one can't pay electronically; one can do so for most things if nothing else with an EU bankcard.

TominStuttgart wrote:

Rishard Amod wrote:

Thanks for the info. However you are still prone to losing money through bag snatching, pickpocketing etc. Whereas electronic payments like apple pay is far more safe

No, unless one is incredible careless, getting pick-pocketed or robbed almost never happens here. And lots of people don't like the bank fees or oversight that banks or payment platforms have over one's purchases. I personally pay cash for everything except monthly or yearly ongoing bills. And its not like one can't pay electronically; one can do so for most things if nothing else with an EU bankcard.

EU should read EC bankcard