According to data from East & Partners, around one-third of Australian merchants now impose a surcharge on at least one of the credit cards they accept. The figure is higher for the largest merchants1, where the proportion surcharging is slightly over half.
To cite a few significant examples, Ökobank in Germany, which focuses on environmental and peace issues, had 63,000 customers and 170 billion lire of deposits in 1993; in the Netherlands, Triodos Bank, of the eponymous association for social development and environmental protection, accounts for 2.5 per cent of the country’s total bank deposits; in Switzerland, the banner experience is that of Alternative Bank ABS, which in 1992 had around 106 billion lire of loans outstanding to local non-profit enterprises and associations for thirdworld development.