Cash machines are proving to be more than a convenience for shoppers, with new research showing that having an ATM can encourage customers to visit stores more frequently, return to the same retailer and use the same machine regularly.
NCR Atleos, a leader in expanding self-service financial access for financial institutions, has published new research showing a symbiotic relationship between retail and financial services, as changes to traditional cash infrastructure see retailers take on a greater role in how consumers access and manage cash.
Drawing on more than 300,000 responses across 4,646 UK ATMs, the research found that ATMs influence repeat visits, with more than half (56%) visiting the shop more often because it has one, 76% more likely to return and 63% regularly using the same machine.
These visits translate into spend. Over one third (37%) said they would spend the cash they withdrew in-store, while 31% said withdrawing cash leads them to spend more.
Applied to the £1.35 billion dispensed across 5,300 NCR Atleos ATMs in major convenience stores and supermarkets in June 2026, that suggests around £499.5 million was spent in-store, underlining the commercial value of having an ATM there.
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.
"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.”
Having an ATM in these retail locations - supermarkets, convenience stores, forecourts - is also convenient for consumers visiting.
80% said they specifically came to withdraw cash, while 39% said withdrawing cash forms part of their shopping trip and 82% said having an ATM was convenient for their shopping.
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.”
The role extends beyond the individual retailer, with 83% saying their local area would be worse off without the ATM. 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.