Last week, Australia's ban on credit and debit card surcharges took effect, and it's sparked debate as to whether we should follow suit.

National expressed interest in implementing a similar rule with the Retail Payment System (Ban on Merchant Surcharges) Amendment Bill, but it appears to have stalled following backlash. 

Retail NZ CEO Carolyn Young says this ban led to Australian businesses increasing prices - and it's likely Kiwi businesses will have to do the same if these changes were made. 

"In such a tight environment, everyone's struggling - consumers are struggling, businesses are struggling - that 2 percent or 2 and a half percent or 3 percent can make a difference around whether a business survives or doesn't survive." 

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