Government beats Commerce Commission to card surcharge ban

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson says surcharges are a “hassle”. (Image: Supplied)

Mon, 28 Jul 2025

The Government is seeking to ban most in-store payment surcharges, a move it says will save consumers millions. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Scott Simpson said on Monday that the Government will introduce the Retail Payment System (Ban on Surcharges) Amendment Bill this year.The announcement came two weeks after the Commerce Commission said it would cap interchange fees.In the same announcement, the regulator said it would begin exploring “what regulation may be needed to address excessive surcharging”.‘May 202...

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