The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is pushing ahead with reforms to card payments, proposing to ban surcharges on debit and credit card transactions while also reducing interchange fees charged by banks. On the surface, this is being promoted as a win for consumers, but what does it mean for independent petrol station owners?

How It Impacts You

Most service stations don’t apply card surcharges, so in practice, this change won’t affect the way you currently handle payments. You’ll continue to factor merchant service fees into your overall pricing strategy, ensuring your margins are protected.

The real impact is on customers. With surcharges banned, more businesses will shift their recovery of card fees into the shelf price of goods. That means prices are likely to rise across the board, and customers, whether they pay by card or cash, will notice.

Customer Perception

While your operating costs won’t increase, the risk is how customers view these changes. They may hear that surcharges are being banned and expect things to become cheaper. In reality, they’ll see gradual price rises instead, which could lead to frustration or confusion at the counter.

Industry View

Small business groups argue that the RBA’s modelling underestimates how widespread surcharges really are, and warn that the price impact could be greater than the regulator expects. Banks, meanwhile, have flagged that customers could also lose out on some credit card perks, such as interest-free days, adding another layer of dissatisfaction.

How ServoPro Can Help

At ServoPro, we work with independent operators every day to reduce merchant terminal fees. If you’re concerned about rising costs or simply want to review your current setup, contact us and we’ll help you find savings. Lowering your card processing costs is one of the simplest ways to protect margins and keep your site competitive.

For the latest retailer news and information, check out the ServoPro website or to speak to us about how we can help your business, contact us.