Overview
- A widely shared photo from a local doner shop offering card payment "with a 50-cent surcharge" prompted fresh scrutiny of the practice.
- Section 270a of the German Civil Code, in force since January 13, 2018, bans retailers from adding extra fees for card transactions in consumer business.
- Businesses may choose which payment methods to accept, including cash-only policies or card use from a set amount, but they cannot add a card-payment surcharge.
- Processing fees remain a key concern for small merchants, with typical charges around 1.0–2.5% for Visa/Mastercard, 2.5–3.5% for American Express, and 0.2–0.5% for girocard plus fixed per-transaction cents.
- Policy plans would require retailers to offer digital payment options as cards account for about 63.5% of 2024 retail turnover and roughly 1.21 million terminals are in use, while tax authorities say digital payments help curb evasion risks.