February 18, 2011
The consumer group Which? has stated that it intends to make an official complaint to the Office of Fair Trading about surcharges imposed by retailers on debit and credit card payments. The group has stated that although card payments only cost businesses an extra twenty pence or two percent per transaction to process, some businesses and internet companies and low cost airlines in particular, are charging customers much greater fixed amounts upon payment, without prior warning. The group is maintaining that businesses should be upfront about any such charges and ensure that they are proportionate to the costs incurred by them in processing the payments or that they should absorb them in their overall profit margins. Once a complaint is received by the Office of Fair Trading, it will have ninety days in which to respond. It will decide whether to investigate the matter further or take any action against the businesses concerned. Businesses that are uncertain of their requirements under consumer protection regulations should seek the advice of a solicitor.