Most US consumers prefer paper receipts over digital receipts from retailers, believing paper receipts better protect their personal information; Koehler Paper highlights survey initiated by Paper Receipt Converting Assn.

Tulchin Research is an award-winning public opinion research firm that specializes in opinion surveys. The survey, which was initiated by the Paper Receipt Converting Association (PRCA), was based on responses from 1,000 randomly selected adults 18 years or older in the USA. Three out of four survey respondents preferred paper receipts, while only one fourth preferred a digital receipt sent to their phones by e-mail or text message. Meanwhile, eight out of ten American consumers said they wanted to decide themselves which type of receipt they wanted for their purchases and were not interested in having the decision made for them. “These results are surprising, since they go against the general trend towards digitalization,” Koehler America General Manager Steve Graves says before adding: “This development shows that paper receipts are experiencing a renaissance, and I’m pretty sure that these survey results would be nearly identical if we were to survey Europeans instead.” 

There is a reason why getting things put on paper is common advice, with one of many advantages including the fact that it serves as documentation in the event of complaints. Sebastian Früh, Director Thermal Paper Division at Koehler Paper, adds: “On top of all this, Koehler Paper also offers thermal paper made without color developers, which makes it recyclable and better for the environment.” In other words, getting a printed receipt to get a sense of safety with regards to personal information is perfectly compatible with an environmentally conscious attitude in this day and age.