Retailers to show Visa and Mastercard at the competition Commission

Hardly the most important Swiss dealer small beige and on surcharges for credit card payments waived, the Association of Electronic payments (VEZ) again with the credit card giant Visa and Mastercard . In the interest of grouping VEZ, among others, Migros, Coop and gastro Suisse are represented. The VEZ has submitted a few days ago in competition Commission (Comco) a complaint against Visa and Mastercard. This is evident from the documents available to this newspaper.

The occasion, a these days introduced increase in the price of visas. The fees, the Swiss trader will pay to the credit card companies rise significantly when customers use a payment card from the EEA-area. Some of the rates are doubled.

traders fear a further tariff increase

The Swiss dealers have taken advantage of the new rates to the occasion, to take the cost under the magnifying glass, the Swiss traders incur when you Pay with foreign cards like Visa and Mastercard. The fees of visas to the same, according to an analysis by the VEZ to those of rival Mastercard. The conclusion suggests that the two company take advantage of their dominant position in the market, is it in the display.

The Swiss traders fear that Visa and Mastercard could raise the fees in the future. Therefore, the display is directed against both companies. Visa and Mastercard, with a request not to comment to this newspaper.

consumers pay

The price increase. Today, approximately 12 percent of all payments in Switzerland are handled with cards from the EEA-area. Their share is growing. The retailers assume, therefore, that alone Visa takes up to 8 million Swiss francs per year – and rising. The should also be felt by the consumers. So it is, in the display of the retailers: "The only way out of the card acceptor is either a diminution in the margin," or the higher costs "through a General, and applicable to every customer to pass on price rises".

If the customer's payment cards in the EEA-use space, increase the rates significantly.

Swiss dealer may refuse to accept foreign cards is simple and no special supplements for you demand. And no cards to take more, is also not an Option. The dealer itself would damage, because the customers wouldn't understand and to go to a competitors could be the accepted your card. For the trader there are also no immediate reason for the surcharge. In the case of Mastercard and Visa, no significant technical innovations had to be taken.

on The contrary, Because in the EU the rates for foreign card payments are declined, the retailer in Switzerland to even more disadvantaged. The VEZ is assumed that the Swiss traders per year would have to pay around 100 million Swiss francs of charges less, if for you the same rates as for EU traders would apply.

age dispute

A year-long dispute between the Swiss dealers and the international credit card companies, and flares. He seemed to be only just finished. For years, the parties argued about how expensive a credit card can be a payment for a dealer and whether he is allowed to charge its customers a surcharge for Paying by card.

The Swiss traders, banks and the payment industry agreed more than four years ago on one of the competition Commission-brokered compromise. The cost of the dealer for payment with credit cards are declined thereafter up to the year 2017 progressively. In return, they undertook to demand no premium from their customers paying with credit card. Until then, it was customary, in order the more cost to compensate, at least partially.

The trade should be relieved in order to 50 to 60 million Swiss francs per year. And the customers had the advantage of not pay attention to how you pay for something – whether it's by card, cash or by invoice: For the consumers, everything costs the same.

Swiss fought long

a few weeks Ago, when the Airline Swiss, the last significant seller in Switzerland is small. The airline is set to introduce a new pricing model, such as the "Sunday newspaper" reported. The credit card payer is no longer costing a flight automatically now, 1.4 percent more than for passengers who pay on account.

regardless of the credit card payer will not be treated but still: there are special discounts depending on the means of payment.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 05.04.2019, 22:45 Uhr