Can meh? Tuas South coffee shop imposes $0.30 charge on customers who pay using NETS

A customer has questioned a coffee shop in Tuas after it allegedly imposed an extra 30-cent charge on payments made via NETS QR for purchases below $5.

Stomper Anonymous said the practice has been in place for some time at 1A KJM Eating House at 1A Tuas South Avenue 10.

He shared several photos taken between June 26 and July 7, showing a handwritten notice at the cashier that reads: “Use NETS Pay below $5, add 30 cents.”

The customer said he encountered the surcharge on multiple occasions during that period.

“I tried to raise the issue directly with the shop, but the response I received was dismissive,” he told Stomp.

“The staff told me words to the effect of, ‘You can choose not to buy’ and ‘Please go and report to the authority.’”

He also claimed that the coffee shop did not provide receipts when he requested them.

Believing the surcharge was not allowed, the customer lodged feedback with NETS and asked the payment provider to investigate the merchant.

He also pointed to the Association of Banks in Singapore’s (ABS) Merchant Surcharge Prohibition FAQ, which states that merchants are prohibited from imposing any form of surcharge on consumers for PayNow transactions.

Can merchants pass on surcharges to consumers for using e-payments?

In response to a Stomp query, a NETS spokesperson said the matter has been referred to the relevant team for investigation.

“Merchants are informed during onboarding that associated costs tied to accepting NETS digital payment solutions are to be absorbed by the merchant,” the spokesperson said.

“Through regular education, we will continue to remind and reiterate to merchants that any surcharges passed on to consumers for using e-payments (including payments made via a NETS QR) is not permitted.”

NETS also encouraged members of the public to report merchant-related feedback through its website.

Stomp has contacted KJM for comment.

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