Resources

Corporate convenience store chains and their special interest allies love to lobby Congress, saying that credit card interchange rates are increasing drastically. But how does that claim hold up against reality? It doesn’t. As it turns out, interchange rate changes pale in comparison to convenience store margins, which have skyrocketed as of late. EPC’s latest infographic breaks down the full story, below.

The EPC has created an explainer handout that includes a general summary of the Durbin-Marshall Credit Card Bill and its negative impact on consumers, small businesses, and financial institutions. This legislation would allow corporate mega-stores, like Walmart and Target, to process credit card transactions based solely on what is cheapest for them without regard to the value that consumers derive from rewards and many other benefits. This would add billions of dollars to the bottom lines of mega-stores every year while eliminating almost all the funding that goes towards popular credit cards rewards programs, weakening cybersecurity protections, and reducing access to credit. Keep reading below to learn more.