In Sweden’s case this means that we have really caught up since the beginning of the millennium when we used cards only half as much as these Nordic neighbours. 1 Cards are still used to a greater extent in Norway than in the other Nordic countries. All-in-all, this development means that the use of cards has now reached such a level throughout the Nordic region that a serious disruption that affects the entire card system, or large parts of the system, would have serious consequences for the ability of people to make  1  Speech by Lars Nyberg (2008): “Paying is expensive – are we using too much cash?”. BIS Review 7/2010  1  payments. Cash could no longer replace cards if the card systems were to break down. If card payments do not work, then the entire payment system will not work satisfactorily either. The Riksbank’s responsibility for a safe and efficient payment system therefore means that we also have an interest in ensuring that card payments work safely and efficiently. To get more up-to-date information and to learn more about how the Swedes pay, the Riksbank conducted a survey towards the end of last year. The aim of the survey was to determine how people choose between different means of payment and the factors that affect these choices. As similar surveys were conducted in 2006, we also wanted to see whether the payment patterns had changed over the three years between the surveys.
Although it is common today to use mobile phones for many other things than just making phone calls, our survey shows that private individuals in general are not familiar with the  9  A payment effected directly and which can be confirmed for both issuer and recipient, without delay. 10  Real Time Gross Settlement. 6  BIS Review 7/2010  concept of using their mobile phones to make payments. However, they value convenience highly and if a new payment method emerges that is more convenient than those that already exist it may have a major impact. We only have to look at payments through Internet banks, which almost 80 per cent of the interviewees in our survey use today. Another new development concerns the return of the Cash Card following its lamentable disappearance a few years ago. The new Cash Card has been developed by ICA Banken under commission of the Swedish National Debt Office and will primarily be used to make those payments that public authorities previously made in cash. There are, of course, individuals who lack access to cards and, occasionally, even to bank accounts and who are, consequently, entirely dependent upon cash. This new card differs from the previous Cash Card in that it cannot be topped up by the holder, only by the issuing party. Otherwise, it can be used like a normal debit card and will be equipped with a PIN code.