Since 1 July last year retailers in Belgium have been obliged by law to provide their customers with at least one means of paying for their goods electronically. However, some traders are failing to comply, and the Federal Economy Department has received no fewer than 1,881 reports from customers that have been unable to make electronic payments for their goods. Inspectors from the Economy Department found 316 traders that were still failing to offer electronic payment facilities. First offenders were issued with a warning.
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Hundreds of reports of retailers still not offering electronic payment facilities
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Since the start of this year, checks on the provision electronic payment facilities have become part of the wider range of checks carried out on businesses by the Economic Inspectorate.
So far this year, the Inspectorate has found 103 breaches of the rules on the provision of electronic payment facilities among the 2,105 business that have been inspected. Traders found to be flouting the rules frisk a fine of between 26 euro and 10,000 euro.
Various options
Traders have various options for complying with the obligation. For example, they can display a bank account number at their till to which a customer can transfer the sum required for payment of their goods. A QR code to facilitate payment through a banking app is also sufficient. Traders are not allowed to charge customers extra if they opt to pay for their goods electronically.
The Economy Department is keen to stress that traders are not allowed to refuse cash apart from in exceptional circumstances. In 2022, the Department received 316 reports from consumers having been unable to pay for their goods in cash There have been 179 such reports so far this year.