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ARTICLE · 27 MARCH 2016

Merchants beware: ACCC given powers to stop excessive surcharging

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The ACCC can now stop merchants over-charging customers for paying for goods and services with credit or debit cards.

AustraliaConsumer Protection
Michael Chaaya
Michael Chaaya
Peter Anderson
Peter Anderson
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The first step in the enhanced regulation of merchant surcharging came into effect when the Competition and Consumer Amendment (Payment Surcharges) Bill 2015 was passed by the Parliament on 22 February 2016. This legislation was foreshadowed by the RBA in their Review of Card Payments Regulation consultation paper issued in December 2015 (Consultation Paper).

The Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2010 (Act) has now been amended to give the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) the power to take action where merchants breach the standards established by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in respect of the amount they surcharge customers for paying for goods and services with credit or debit cards.

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