End of receipt: Haro on our dates?

The receipt will definitely disappear on January 1, 2023. The brands see it as an opportunity to address their customers in a targeted manner. Start-ups take over the dematerialized ticket. The CNIL is concerned. decryption.

End of receipt, Haro on our dates – iStock-Juanmonino

The end of the paper ticket

In 2023, retailers will no longer be able to issue paper receipts to their customers unless they specifically request it. This measure, which is an integral part of the “anti-waste” law passed in 2020, opens the way to digital alternatives, such as the dematerialized ticket by telephone or email. The first objective of this measure is to reduce the waste associated with the production of the paper ticket, which often ends up in the trash after issuance. However, according to the GreenIT collective, a dematerialized ticket would technically be more polluting than a printed ticket. The latter, transmitted and stored in an energy-intensive data center, would actually release 2 grams more of Co2 equivalent into the atmosphere than a printed ticket.

A blessing for brands

Many voices are already raised against this device, which would pave the way for targeting customers thanks to the personal data collected during the issuance and sending of the dematerialized receipt. During the transaction, the customer could be offered a shipment by e-mail or telephone and he would therefore have to transmit his personal details at the checkout. Several large retail companies such as Carrefour are currently using this system – on the fringes of loyalty programs that already allow them to identify their customers. For retailers who have to comply with the measure from 2023, young companies such as Limpidius or Yavin offer systems for sending dematerialized tickets that are linked to cash register software.

Enrich the customer base

Ultimately, the data potentially collected from retailers during transactions would allow them to grow their customer base exponentially, much faster than with loyalty programs. If this data collection is entirely legal, its use remains controversial. In fact, before sending an advertisement to a target customer, a brand should theoretically ensure that the latter accepts in writing the transmission of advertising messages by ticking each of the boxes corresponding to the different uses of the data. For the National Commission for Data Processing and Liberties (CNIL), it is clear that the end of the paper receipt and the dematerialization of the transaction receipt cannot justify “other purposes, in particular commercial prospecting”. At the moment, the permitting process is still unclear and professionals in the sector are awaiting the decree implementing the anti-waste law. This gray area has not escaped the notice of startups. In particular, to limit additional wait times at the checkout to obtain customer consent, Yavin offers to “recognize” customers’ bank cards with consent so that they automatically receive their receipt for the next transaction within the same brand.