Australia’s Card Surcharge Ban Sparks Anger Over New Platform and Service Fees

Australia’s card surcharge ban took effect on October 1, but consumers quickly reported new platform, booking, and service fees appearing at online checkouts. The ACCC said such charges are not automatically illegal if they pay for genuine services, but businesses cannot disguise card fees or mislead customers. Mandatory costs must be included in the total price. The change covers major card networks, while companies may instead build payment-processing costs into their prices, leaving shoppers uncertain whether the ban will reduce cost