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There’s a lot to fret over these days. Whether you’re entitled to a paper receipt when you buy something seems like a decidedly small matter, all things considered.
But it can have potentially large ramifications for consumers in terms of their ability to return products, seek warranty protections, maintain purchase records and itemize tax returns.
For those reasons, as well as a general wariness of change, a 2018 survey found that nearly 70% of Americans prefer paper receipts over digital alternatives.
On the other hand, there’s the environment to consider.
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A 2019 study by the advocacy group Green America estimated that production of paper receipts in this country requires more than 3 million trees and 9 billion gallons of water annually.