Machines are rejecting Australia's new futuristic $5 note
Australia's exciting plan to introduce a fresh $5 bank note has stumbled over its first hurdle -- vending machines, poker machines and self service check-outs.
The revamped notes were introduced to increase ease-of-use for people with low vision and decrease the note's counterfeit-friendly qualities. But now the machines are rising up and rejecting the partically-transperant, holographic new currency.
President of the National Vending Association Nick Aronis told The Daily Telegraph “The note reader (of a vending machine) starts to read the note and sees the clear strip, it identifies that as the end of the note and of course it can’t recognise it, so it spits it back out" Aronis reported.
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Major grocery outlet Woolworths have had to update their self-service points and elsewhere, up to 100,000 vending machines are awaiting an upgrade to the tune of A$20 million, that will enable them to recognise the note.
Erin Turner of consumer advocacy group Choice, said that companies knew the currency would require system upgrades for over 12 months, and have simply failed to act.
Turner told Mashable "Consumers rightly expect companies to be able to accept Australian currency. These companies need to get their act together."
