Blind customers in Finland are increasingly facing difficulties paying for purchases as shops replace traditional card machines with touchscreen payment terminals that cannot be operated independently by people with visual impairments.
For 46-year-old Riikka Hänninen, the problem became clear in early October when she visited a Musti and Mirri pet shop in Helsinki’s Viikki neighbourhood to buy food for her guide dog, Isla.
When she reached the checkout, she discovered that the payment terminal had no physical keypad. Without one, she could not enter her PIN and complete the transaction independently. She had no cash with her, and her phone was not set up for mobile payments.
Speaking to Yle, Hänninen said this was far from an isolated experience. Touchscreen-only payment terminals have become increasingly common in shops and restaurants, and she encounters the same difficulty several times a month.
On some occasions, shop employees have suggested that she simply tell them her bank card PIN so they can complete the payment. Hänninen considers this an unacceptable suggestion because customers should never have to disclose confidential banking information to make an ordinary purchase.
“You never know when you’ll suddenly find yourself in a situation where you can’t pay because you’re blind,” she told Yle.
The problem highlights a gap between accessibility legislation and the everyday experiences of people with visual impairments. Although new European Union accessibility requirements for payment terminals came into force in June 2025, they have not immediately removed older, inaccessible machines from shops.
Under the European Accessibility Act, payment terminals introduced to the EU market must meet accessibility requirements. However, terminals that were already placed on the market or manufactured in the EU before the rules took effect can continue to be sold and used. This means businesses can still have touchscreen-only machines that are difficult or impossible for blind customers to operate independently.
Terhi Manninen, an accessibility expert at the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired, said the transition has left many customers without an effective solution.
“We have legislation, but right now it doesn’t help,” she explained.
Finland has approximately 55,000 people with visual impairments, including around 9,000 who are blind. The accessibility problem can also affect older people who struggle to read or operate touchscreen devices.
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Payment terminals are only one example of a wider change in how businesses and public services operate. Touchscreens are increasingly used in household appliances, parcel lockers, building entry systems, elevators and self-service check-in kiosks. For people who cannot see the displays, replacing physical buttons with touch-sensitive controls can make everyday tasks more difficult and reduce their independence.
Following the incident, Musti and Mirri announced that it would remove touchscreen-only payment terminals from dozens of its shops. The pet-supply retailer also apologised for the difficulties experienced by customers.
Hänninen welcomed the company’s decision and said she was pleased that the machines were being replaced. However, she questioned why accessibility had not been considered before the terminals were introduced.
For her, the incident reflects a wider problem in how businesses approach customers with disabilities. Accessibility should be considered when companies choose their equipment, rather than addressed only after someone is unable to use a service.
She also directed criticism at the companies manufacturing and selling payment terminals, arguing that they have a responsibility to ensure their products can be used by people with different abilities.
Her message is particularly aimed at major payment terminal providers: making payments accessible should not depend on a customer having to complain first.
