When a buyer pays in-store with a debit card, shops should pay the cardboard supplier a payment. The Competition Commission has now reached an settlement with the cardboard supplier Mastercard. The so-called interchange payment is decreased. So far, small companies particularly have had to surrender extra, says the Competition Commission when requested by Radio SRF.
Specifically, they agreed with Mastercard on a payment of 0.12 % for so-called home face-to-face transactions, corresponding to purchases made on web site in a retailer or restaurant. This is with an higher restrict of 30 centimes for a transaction quantity of 300 francs, which, in response to Weko, corresponds to a median fee of 0.1 %. The settlement is legitimate till not less than 2033.
Legend: Practical for purchasers – probably costly for shops: contactless fee course of with a terminal. IMAGO/Leitenberger
The corresponding European regulation, nonetheless, offers for a fee of 0.2 %. Due to earlier procedures, a fee of 0.31 % applies to home funds by way of the Internet and funds with cell units (so-called e- and m-commerce) till October 31, 2025. In advance of the investigation, the competitors authorities agreed with Mastercard that this fee could be decreased to 0.28 % from November 1, 2025.
No settlement with Visa
While an answer has now been discovered with Mastercard, one with its competitor Visa remains to be pending, it mentioned. A corresponding investigation into the “interchange charges” in Visa’s face-to-face enterprise is continuous and won’t be prejudiced by the settlement with Mastercard, in response to the Comco.
The Swiss Retail Federation, the affiliation of the Swiss retail commerce, is happy with the settlement reached. It results in a major discount in charges on the bodily level of sale. But there may be “nonetheless lots of room for enchancment,” says the communiqué.