New research from NCR Atleos shows that ATMs influence repeat visits and in-store spending, with an estimated £499.5m of cash dispensed in June 2026 spent in-store. The study, based on more than 300,000 responses across 4,646 UK ATMs, found that 56% of shoppers visit a shop more often because it has an ATM, 76% are more likely to return, and 63% regularly use the same machine.
Cash withdrawal and spending behaviour
Over one third (37%) of respondents said they would spend the cash they withdrew in-store, while 31% said withdrawing cash leads them to spend more. Applied to the £1.35bn dispensed across 5,300 NCR Atleos ATMs in major convenience stores and supermarkets in June 2026, this suggests around £499.5m was spent in-store, underlining the commercial value of having an ATM on site.
Having an ATM in retail locations such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and forecourts is also convenient for consumers. 80% said they specifically came to withdraw cash, 39% said withdrawing cash forms part of their shopping trip, and 82% said having an ATM was convenient for their shopping.
Retailers and local communities
Neil Martin, managing director at NCR Atleos UK, Ireland, Benelux, Baltics and Nordics, said: “Physical retail has always been about more than the transaction at the till. An ATM is not simply a piece of equipment in the corner of a store.” He added: “It is the connective tissue between consumers, retailers and local services. That creates an important role for retailers, both in meeting a genuine customer need and supporting the economics of the store.”
“As deposit-capable ATMs become more widely available, these locations can support not only consumers accessing cash, but business owners looking for convenient ways to deposit their takings. The retail estate is already one of the UK’s most important pieces of physical infrastructure. How far that role extends into financial services will be an important shift to watch over the next few years.”
Luke Ashton, head of operations, gift card and cash services, Asda Money, said: “Customer choice is an important part of the retail experience. With more than 18 million shoppers visiting Asda each week, we want people to be able to access the services they need conveniently as part of their shop, including cash.”
“For customers who choose or need to use cash, having an ATM on site provides a simple way to access it in a place they are already visiting. Making cash readily available across our stores helps us serve a wider range of customer needs, makes the shopping trip more convenient and gives customers greater choice in how they pay and manage their money.”
Impact on local areas
The role extends beyond the individual retailer, with 83% saying their local area would be worse off without the ATM. Atleos said that, as deposit services develop alongside withdrawals, retail locations have the potential to become increasingly important points where cash both enters and leaves the system, serving consumers and small businesses while making better use of places people already visit. The findings are published in NCR Atleos’ new white paper, Cash Means Business: How ATMs drive footfall, spend and loyalty for retailers.
