Boots to blank chequebook and pen
The retailer is the latest high street name to restrict chequebook payments in UK stores, and initially trialled the ban in Surrey and Sussex. It says that since the introduction of chip and Pin, cheques are used for less than 0.1% of all payments.
Boots has issued in-store notices warning customers of the impending nationwide ban, and said there had been a "positive" response to the three-month trial in the south-east.
Boots spokesman, Donal McCabe, said: "Since chip and Pin has come in the use of cheques has dropped dramatically.
"Unfortunately, cheques still pose probably the highest risk of fraud to ourselves and our customers, and because they are increasingly not used we have decided to phase them out completely."
Boots will make some exceptions for customers paying for prescriptions and certain medical goods by cheque.
Petrol giant Shell also stopped accepting cheques at its 586 forecourts in the UK in 2005.