Card payment sucharges banned in Australia from 2026

[LondonAussie]

I've never had an iPhone but I have heard that there is a way to set Apple Pay to route via eftpos

Apple removed that choice in an iOS update a few years ago.

 

[transpactraveller]

My local cafe removed the surcharge today but has increased the coffee prices by 10c.

Checking my card statement, comparing to the same order as last week, I was charged 5c less today.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

My local cafe removed the surcharge today but has increased the menu prices by 10c.

Checking my card statement, comparing to the same order as last week, I was charged 5c less today.

Woohoo it's a win!

 

[Mr_Orange]

Woohoo it's a win!

Add minor as it seems, it really is. The business is making more and the customer is paying less.

 

[ausfox]

I received an email today from a large auction group outlining changes to CC surcharges. Amex and a group of others will still have a levy. Did I miss something in the definitions?

 

[Buzzard]

My local cafe removed the surcharge today but has increased the coffee prices by 10c.

Checking my card statement, comparing to the same order as last week, I was charged 5c less today.

Having spoken to a few small business owners that I know, they are planning on putting prices up. One hotel owner told me room prices will probably go up $5.00 which is more than the surcharge I have previously paid. Cafe's too will be slightly increasing prices. What this means now is that even when paying cash we will be paying "the surcharge".

 

[kpc]

Having spoken to a few small business owners that I know, they are planning on putting prices up. One hotel owner told me room prices will probably go up $5.00 which is more than the surcharge I have previously paid. Cafe's too will be slightly increasing prices. What this means now is that even when paying cash we will be paying "the surcharge".

Over time, competition should help sort this out. Seriously, businesses charging me 1.9% to use my non Amex credit card is having a lend of me!

 

[Be.au]

Having spoken to a few small business owners that I know, they are planning on putting prices up. One hotel owner told me room prices will probably go up $5.00 which is more than the surcharge I have previously paid. Cafe's too will be slightly increasing prices. What this means now is that even when paying cash we will be paying "the surcharge".

Might be worth reminding your small business owners that you know that they can still offer a discount for other payment methods, like cash.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Add minor as it seems, it really is. The business is making more and the customer is paying less.

I think overall as per usual, as the consumer we'll always eventually end up paying more.

We all know that businesses will be forced to absorb the disappearing surcharges into their product cost.

That $6 small coffee (with what would have been a $0.09 surcharge @ 1.5% as an example) will turn into $6.20-$6.50 in no time.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think overall as per usual, as the consumer we'll always eventually end up paying more.

We all know that businesses will be forced to absorb the disappearing surcharges into their product cost.

That $6 small coffee (with what would have been a $0.09 surcharge @ 1.5% as an example) will turn into $6.20-$6.50 in no time.

Maybe a side effect will be people stopping buying the $6.20 coffee, which will then drop inflation? Which will then drop interest rates?

Given the announcement of the ban was well before the current surge in inflation, it doesn’t seem directly linked.

 

[Buzzard]

Might be worth reminding your small business owners that you know that they can still offer a discount for other payment methods, like cash.

I did hear that offering a discount for cash will be prohibited.

 

[Be.au]

I did hear that offering a discount for cash will be prohibited.

You heard wrong.

Businesses can offer a discount for other payment methods - like cash, bank transfer, etc - they just can't add a surcharge/fee for paying with card.

 

[transpactraveller]

I did hear that offering a discount for cash will be prohibited.

This is incorrect.

They just have to make the advertised price the highest price you'll pay with any method.

They can choose to charge you less than the price on the sign, they just can't randomly charge you more than the advertised price after you tap your card.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I did hear that offering a discount for cash will be prohibited.

Even the official website FAQ says bisinesses can offer a discount for cash!

 

[kamchatsky]

I did notice that more shops now have adverting, advising 5% off for cash payments.