Consumer NZ urged the government to push ahead with a surcharge ban, with research finding that almost three in five New Zealanders support a ban on card payment surcharges, and only 15 percent oppose the proposal.
It’s estimated that excessive card payment surcharges cost New Zealand shoppers approximately NZD 65 million a year. Yet since December 2025, businesses’ costs of accepting card payments have decreased, saving them an estimated NZD 90 million a year.
“Two-thirds of New Zealanders think that businesses should cover the cost of card payments themselves,” said Jessica Walker, Consumer NZ campaign manager.
Since 2023, Consumer has received over 300 complaints about excessive surcharges. The highest reported surcharge was 25 percent.
Walker said New Zealanders are frequently being stung by excessive, hidden and unavoidable surcharges.
“Too many businesses are flouting the guidelines which say surcharges should be transparent, avoidable and not excessive.”
She added that over a quarter of New Zealanders think they are rarely or never informed of surcharges ahead of payment, and more than four in ten said they've paid a surcharge because they couldn’t use a no-fee option.
According to Consumer NZ, the best way to fix the surcharge mess would be an all-out ban.
A ban would be simple for businesses and would stop consumers from being hit with hidden or excessive surcharges. If a business chooses to pass on additional costs due to the ban, we expect those costs to be minimal.
“Internationally, we are seeing a more progressive stance when it comes to surcharging, with Australian regulators signalling they will ban surcharges on debit and credit card payments from mid-2026. In the UK and EU, surcharging is already largely banned. We don't think it's fair that New Zealand consumers are expected to continue shouldering these costs.”
Consumer NZ said there’s widespread frustration with surcharges amongst shoppers, and it's time for the government to fix the surcharge mess.
More from the c-store here
