Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
4 min of reading 
0 comments 
Government Should Announce Changes to the Worker’s Food Program, Opening the Market for Benefit Cards and Reducing Fees and Transfer Times for Merchants. Workers Will Also Have More Freedom of Choice in Establishments.
The Federal Government, through the Ministries of Labor and Finance, is preparing significant changes to the Worker’s Food Program (PAT), which moves a substantial amount in the national market.
It is expected that the changes will be officially announced this Tuesday, with direct effects for workers and merchants.
According to a report published by CNN Brasil, the event to present the new rules is scheduled for 4 PM.
-
The institute that trained the greatest aerospace engineers in Brazil has just opened its first campus outside São Paulo after 75 years: ITA Ceará will have R$ 445 million, new courses in energy and systems, and classes are expected to start in 2027.
-
Luciano Hang, owner of Havan, goes to Juiz de Fora after the tragedy in February, brings R$ 1 million, hands out R$ 2,000 cards, and donates up to R$ 15,000 to victims in the region.
-
The Brazilian passport allows legal residence in dozens of countries without the need for a prior visa, and most Brazilians are unaware that they can apply for residency directly upon arriving in nations in South America, Africa, and even Europe.
-
Petrobras sends a message to Brazilian truck drivers after fuel collapse and reveals plan to have 100% domestic diesel.
The measures are expected to modernize the payment system for food and meal benefits, such as the Food Voucher (VA) and the Meal Voucher (VR), adopting a more open operational model.
Historically, the PAT has been one of the main mechanisms to encourage workers’ nutrition in the country, using cards accepted in restaurants, supermarkets, and affiliated establishments.
Currently, the model operates with closed payment arrangements, which restricts the use of the benefit to places accredited by each operator.
Government Wants to Open the Market for Benefit Cards
The main anticipated change is the opening of the payment system, allowing interoperability between card issuing companies.
In practice, this means that workers will be able to use their benefits at any establishment that accepts the card brand, regardless of the operator.
According to CNN Brasil, the government’s goal is to increase competition among the companies that manage the cards and give workers more freedom of choice.
Financial market experts believe that the measure may also reduce costs and increase system efficiency by eliminating barriers between service providers.
Another point of the proposal is the reduction of the transfer deadline for amounts to merchants.
Currently, merchants wait up to 30 days to receive payment for transactions with benefit cards.
With the new rule, the maximum time frame will be 15 days, which, according to the government, tends to improve cash flow for small and medium-sized establishments.
Ceiling for Fees and Relief for Commerce
The reform also provides for the creation of a ceiling for fees charged on benefit card transactions.
According to a survey cited by CNN Brasil, average fees on card machines currently reach 5.19%, a percentage higher than that charged for credit card (3.22%) and debit (about 1.6%) transactions.
Furthermore, according to the broadcaster’s investigation, the government intends to reduce these costs with the new limit, which could benefit merchants and increase the number of establishments accepting this type of payment.
Market analysts point out that the measure has the potential to increase competitiveness and attract companies to the program, although there are still questions about the financial impact for the operators.
Experts Warn of Concentration Risk
With the new model, workers should have more options of places to use their cards, without relying on specific agreements between operators and establishments.
For merchants, the shortening of transfer deadlines and the reduction of fees may represent efficiency gains and lower operational costs, according to sources from the sector interviewed by the broadcaster.
Consultancies that monitor the issue, however, warn of possible adverse effects.
According to CNN Brasil, experts from Tendências Consultoria believe that the reduction of fees and deadlines may increase market concentration, favoring large operators and making it difficult for small acquiring companies to survive.
This movement could reduce the diversity of options in the payment sector.
Companies and Establishments Will Have to Adapt
The implementation of the new rules will require technological and operational adjustments from both card operators and commercial establishments.
According to experts consulted by CNN Brasil, interoperability will demand investments in infrastructure to ensure compatibility between different systems and the security of transactions.
Sources linked to the benefits sector state that the adaptation may occur gradually, with a transition period until full integration between platforms.
Representatives of acquiring companies also advocate that the government establish clear rules to prevent market imbalances and ensure fair competition.
Official Announcement Should Detail New PAT Rules
The government is expected to detail the new guidelines for the PAT at the event scheduled for this Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Labor, the changes aim to make the system more transparent and competitive, as well as increase workers’ access to the benefit.
Economists and industry entities are closely monitoring the advancement of the proposal and its possible effects on the payment structure.
The expectation is that the new model will begin to be implemented gradually after the official norms are published.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!