Mumbai: Next time you go shopping and want to pay with your debit card, think again. An increasing number of merchants, shopkeepers and restaurants at prominent shopping centres in the city refuse to accept debit cards and ask customers to pay by cash or credit cards.

Kedar Gupte, an Air India official, spent nearly two hours shopping at Shoppers Stop and Big Bazaar only to realise his debit card won't be accepted. "Why should the store decide my mode of payment? They must accept debit cards as well," fumes Gupte. Suchithra Pillai, a media professional, had a similar experience at the Centre One mall in Vashi. "The staff refused to accept my debit card. When I have money in my account to pay, they have to accept my card," she said.

Sachin Khandelval, head card business, ICICI Bank, acknowledges there have been many complaints about debit cards not being accepted. "Consumers must intimate their bank if debit cards are not accepted. Chances are that the bank will take action against such shopkeepers. It's only when the customer lodges a complaint, that we can pursue the matter."

He added that shopkeepers would then be blacklisted and their machines confiscated.

Suresh Gurumani, head retail banking, Barclays Bank, added, "Shopkeepers have to pay 1.5 per cent tax on such transactions. This may be the reason why they don't accept debit cards."