You can swipe your card, fuel up again

The long-awaited move to permit the use of credit cards at fuel stations was announced by the UAE Ministry of Economy on Wednesday. Mohammed Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, said the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection has approved the request of fuel retailers to allow the resumption of credit card use for an extra charge of Dh2 as commission for every transaction.

Al Shehhi said the committee has revoked its earlier decision that prevented fuel retailers from imposing surcharges on credit card use. The earlier decision was taken at the second meeting of the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection in 2011.

Al Shehhi emphasised the significance of several such “strategic decisions” made by the Ministry and the Supreme Committee for Consumer Protection recently to protect consumer rights and help boost economic competitiveness and growth in the UAE.

A ministry statement said the committee was briefed at its fourth meeting in 2011 on a report about the re-introduction of credit cards to pay for fuel at filling stations after that facility was suspended in 2007 “because of the high costs incurred” by petrol companies.

“In this context, the committee issued a set of recommendations, most notably to study oil retailers’ proposal to allow the re-use of bank cards,” the statement said.

The committee will soon hold meetings with Visa and MasterCard to finalise terms and conditions.

Five years ago, oil companies stopped accepting credit card payments for fuel at filling stations. The new surcharge on credit card payment will only apply to fuel purchases made at gas stations and exclude other goods purchased at the outlets.

issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com