Cash on Delivery: A continent divided by payment preferences

The persistence of cash on delivery (CoD) as a payment method in Europe reveals a telling story about the continent’s digital divide.

Cash on Delivery: A continent divided

While CoD may appear anachronistic in an era dominated by instant payments and mobile wallets, its sustained popularity in parts of Europe reflects broader trends in consumer trust, infrastructure development, and digital maturity.

Western and Northern Europe

Across Western and Northern Europe, CoD has largely faded from the e-commerce landscape.

In countries such as Sweden, Norway, and the UK, fewer than 10% of online retailers offer CoD as a payment option.

These markets, underpinned by strong digital infrastructures and high consumer confidence in card-based and digital wallets, have embraced modern payment technologies with little resistance.

Indeed, the dominance of Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Apple Pay in UK e-commerce demonstrates a seamless transition away from cash in the online domain.

Scandinavian innovation in payments – exemplified by Klarna, Swish and others – has further normalised digitally-managed consumer finance, marginalising the appeal of CoD.

Eastern and Southern Europe

By contrast, CoD remains a prominent fixture across much of Eastern and Southern Europe.

In markets such as Greece, Bulgaria, and Slovakia, over 80% of online merchants still provide CoD as a payment option.

Greece leads the region with a striking 85.6% of online stores accepting cash upon delivery.

These figures are not simply vestiges of outdated systems; they reflect deeper socioeconomic and infrastructural realities.

In many of these markets, historical financial instability and limited trust in digital systems have kept consumers tethered to cash.

The delivery ecosystem reinforces this dynamic: in Greece, for example, courier firms often prioritise CoD shipments, as collecting payment upon delivery is central to their cash flow.

This encourages consumers to view CoD not only as a familiar method, but also as a more secure one – paying only once goods are physically received.

CoD in Gradual Decline

That said, the overall trajectory of CoD in Europe is one of gradual decline.

Even in the mid-tier markets, where CoD penetration ranges between 10% and 60%, retailers are progressively phasing out the method.

As digital payment ecosystems mature and cross-border eCommerce proliferates, CoD’s operational complexity and slower cash cycles make it less attractive for both merchants and logistics providers.

In essence, Europe’s CoD split is a mirror reflecting the broader digital disparities between East and West.

It underscores how payment habits are shaped not only by technology, but also by culture, trust, and historical context – forces that continue to shape the evolution of European commerce.