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Changes In Meal Voucher May Reduce Costs For Workers, Retailers And Restaurants; Government Lula Discusses New Rules.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met on Monday (1st) with ministers at the Palácio do Planalto to discuss new rules that will regulate the use of meal vouchers and food vouchers in Brazil. The meeting included the presence of Fernando Haddad (Finance), Rui Costa (Civil House), and Luiz Marinho (Labor) and focused on changes to the Food Program for Workers (PAT).
The reform of the benefit has been debated for over two years but gained momentum at the beginning of 2024 when the government sought measures to contain rising food prices.
Although inflation is currently more controlled, the proposal was brought to the president with the intention of concluding the regulation still this year.
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More Than 60% Of Workers Complement The Voucher With Their Salary
One of the main issues pointed out is that the value of the benefit has proven insufficient to cover basic food expenses.
According to recent surveys, more than 60% of workers need to use part of their own salary to supplement the food voucher.
This scenario pressures families and reinforces the need for adjustments in the rules to reduce costs in the system.
Ceiling For Fees Charged By Operators
Among the measures under consideration is the creation of a ceiling for fees charged by companies that operate meal and food voucher cards.
Currently, these percentages can exceed 5%, which leads many establishments to choose not to accept the benefit.
The government’s proposal is to limit this charge to around 3.5%, an amount considered fairer for restaurants and supermarkets.
The expectation is that reducing the cost will encourage more establishments to accept the cards, expanding the network available to workers and ensuring greater access to quality food.
Reduction In Payment Terms To Establishments
Another point being discussed is the time frame for transferring the amounts paid by workers.
Currently, restaurant and supermarket owners report waiting up to 60 days to receive credits for purchases made with meal or food vouchers.
The government is considering shortening this period, which could improve cash flow and provide more financial security for merchants.
This change is seen as fundamental to balancing the relationships between operators and retailers, reducing losses and encouraging adherence to the program.
Free Portability Of The Benefit
The proposal also includes the creation of so-called portability, a mechanism that will allow workers to switch card operators free of charge.
This measure was already approved by Congress in 2022, but regulation did not progress due to a lack of consensus between companies and the government.
With implementation, it is expected that competition in the sector will increase, allowing for better fee and service conditions.
Additionally, portability could facilitate the entry of new companies into the market, which currently face barriers to compete with established operators.
End Of Practices That Inflated Food Costs
Until recently, it was common for companies hiring food vouchers to make agreements with operators that offered discounts.
For example, a company would purchase R$ 100,000 in benefits but pay only R$ 90,000.
This difference, however, ended up being compensated by operators through higher fees charged to restaurants and supermarkets.
In practice, the extra cost was passed on to workers, who paid more for their meals.
In October of last year, the Ministry of Labor published an ordinance prohibiting this type of practice, considered harmful to the final consumer. Nevertheless, retail chains continue to complain about the high fees applied to voucher payments.
Next Steps For The Government
With the regulation of new rules, the Lula government expects to reduce the system’s costs, expand the acceptance of cards, and lower food prices for workers.
The topic will still undergo further rounds of discussion, but the goal of the Palácio do Planalto is to finalize the proposal and implement it still in 2024.
Changes in the PAT are seen as essential to modernizing the meal and food voucher model, making it fairer for employers, retailers, and, primarily, for the workers who rely on the benefit in their daily lives.
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