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Federal Government Standardizes Discount Rates and Accelerates Transfer of Funds to Establishments; Rules Aim to Balance Competition in the Benefits Market.
The president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) signs, on this Tuesday (11/11), the decree that regulates important changes in VR and VA and in the Worker’s Food Program (PAT). The measure, which will be formalized in a closed ceremony at the Palácio do Alvorada at 4 PM, aims to establish a ceiling for the discount rates charged to bars, restaurants, and supermarkets on transactions made with meal vouchers (VR) and food vouchers (VA). The information comes from Metrópoles, a source cited by industry representatives.
In addition to standardizing the rates, the decree aims to inject more competition into the market, which is currently concentrated in a few large groups. It is expected that the new rules will implement the portability and interoperability of benefits, guaranteeing workers the right to choose the card brand and allowing any card machine to accept vouchers from different operators, as a way to “level the playing field” for smaller companies.
Standardization of Rates and Faster Transfers
Among the main changes in VR and VA brought by the decree, setting a ceiling for the rates charged to establishments is the most sensitive point. The transition to this new limit should be gradual.
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The expectation is that the maximum percentage charged per operation will be between 3% and 4%, a value significantly lower than the current average, which ranges from 6% to 7%. This standardization aims to reduce the cost of accepting benefits for commerce. Furthermore, the decree drastically shortens the transfer deadline for sales amounts to establishments. The maximum period will be 15 days, a reduction compared to what occurs today, when payment can take up to 60 days to be made. The oversight of these new rules will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Labor, which also manages the PAT.
PAT: Understand the Program and the Context of the Change
The Worker’s Food Program (PAT), established in 1976, is a government initiative that serves approximately 24 million Brazilians, focused on providing food benefits, such as VR and VA, especially for workers earning up to five minimum wages. Company participation is voluntary, but in return, they receive tax incentives on expenses with the vouchers, as long as the subsidy is granted to all employees.
The regulation of the PAT, which was not initially at the top of the economic agenda, gained traction again in January, amid the food inflation crisis. The announcement of the modifications was postponed, initially scheduled for May, due to various setbacks between major operators and representatives of bars, restaurants, and markets. Another point of contention was the Central Bank (BC), which resisted the government’s request to take over the regulation of the benefits market, claiming not to have the means to do so, forcing the Ministry of Labor to take over the oversight.
Portability and Interoperability: The End of the “Closed Arrangement”
Another central aspect of the changes in VR and VA is the resumption of the regulation of portability and interoperability of benefits. Portability guarantees workers the right to choose which card they prefer to receive the aid on, while interoperability requires that a single card machine be able to accept vouchers from different operators.
This measure implies a transition to the so-called “open arrangement”. Currently, the model is a “closed arrangement“, where the operator controls both the accreditation of establishments and the issuance of the card. With the new open arrangement, the benefits cards are no longer tied to a restricted list of accredited establishments and will be accepted at any establishment that has the machine, without the need for a direct link to the brand. Digital and newer companies understand that these rules create a fairer competitive environment, according to a spokesperson heard by Metrópoles.
Sector Reactions: Between Support and Concern
The modifications regulated by the decree have generated mixed reactions and concerns from the representative entities of the market. The Brazilian Association of Benefits to Workers (ABBT) points out that the update of the rules “threatens” the benefits and “distorts the social character of the program“, potentially causing harm to workers.
According to the ABBT, portability would not bring effective gains to the beneficiary, and the potential costs of freely changing brands could dissuade companies from granting VR and VA. The president of the association, Lucio Capelletto, states that the government would be “interfering in free enterprise and market rules“, creating legal uncertainty. The ABBT also expresses concern about the open arrangement, fearing that vouchers could be used “indiscriminately, without proper oversight“, as well as the possibility of the government imposing a pricing arrangement on the rates.
The Position of Bars and Restaurants
The Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants (Abrasel), in turn, positions itself in favor of interoperability, seeing it as a “boost for competition“. However, the entity is also against the pricing arrangement, arguing that market solutions should be encouraged, as pricing arrangements have historically “brought more distortion and losses“.
The executive president of Abrasel, Paulo Solmucci, emphasized that the entity expects a reduction in the rates charged and a payment period shorter than 30 days. Abrasel fears that, without the exact terms of the decree, the measures could lead to a “widespread judicialization” of the sector.
What Is the Real Impact of the Changes in VR and VA?
The regulation signed by Lula attempts to balance the interests of workers, establishments, and benefits companies, promoting more competition and reducing operational costs for commerce, as expected by Abrasel and smaller companies. The changes in VR and VA that bring interoperability and portability give more power of choice to the employee and seek to break the market monopoly. On the other hand, the ABBT raises the flag that the pricing arrangement and the open arrangement may disguise the social nature of the PAT.
Do you agree with this change? Do you think that the reduction of rates and interoperability impacts the market positively or negatively? Leave your opinion in the comments, we want to hear from those who experience this in practice!
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