澳大利亚刷卡手续费禁令生效 消费者警惕新型收费

澳大利亚的刷卡手续费禁令于周四生效，禁止商家对信用卡、借记卡和预付卡付款收取手续费，涵盖EFTPOS、Visa和Mastercard等支付方式1。美国运通和UnionPay将从10月1日起取消手续费，PayPal从10月5日起实施相同变化1。

禁令生效后数小时内，消费者就开始发现商家出现平台费、预订费或服务费等新收费，引发这些费用是否实际上是手续费替代品的担忧1。澳大利亚储备银行澄清，禁令仅适用于针对刷卡付款特别加收的手续费，预订费、服务费和周末或公共假期的招待服务费仍被允许1。澳大利亚竞争与消费者委员会表示，企业不能误导消费者关于价格的性质或原因1。

这项改变对小企业造成了直接冲击。悉尼Bitton Rose Bay咖啡馆老板David Bitton估计，这项改变可能花费其业务约40,000美元1。

Australia's ban on card payment surcharges came into force on Thursday, prohibiting merchants from charging fees on credit card, debit card, and prepaid card transactions.1 The prohibition covers EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, and other payment methods, while American Express and UnionPay will discontinue surcharges from October 1, and PayPal will implement the same change from October 5.1

However, within hours of the ban's implementation, consumers noticed businesses introducing alternative charges such as platform fees, booking fees, and service fees, raising questions about whether these new levies effectively circumvent the surcharge restrictions.1 The Reserve Bank of Australia clarified that the ban applies only to fees specifically added for card payments; booking fees, service charges, and hospitality fees for weekends or public holidays remain permitted.1 The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warned that while legitimate service charges are not necessarily prohibited, businesses cannot mislead consumers about the nature or reason for pricing.1

The financial impact on small businesses has sparked concern. David Bitton, owner of Bitton Rose Bay cafe in Sydney, estimates the change could cost his business approximately AUD 40,000.1