The National Association of Gasoline Retailers (ANADEGAS), which brings together 780 service stations across the country, has formally requested the intervention of the Dominican Government and the Superintendency of Banks to seek a solution regarding the fees charged for the use of credit and debit cards, which they describe as “excessive.”
Retailers assert that due to the marketing margins earned by card payment service providers, fuel stations are facing a critical financial situation.
Currently, card processors (such as Azul, Visanet, and Carnet) apply commissions ranging from 1.95% to 2.50%
For retailers, this financial cost translates into an expense of between RD$6.59 and RD$8.45 for every gallon sold.
Considering that the gross marketing margin is regulated by the State (RD$23.75 per gallon for diesel and RD$27.07 for gasoline), bank commissions are consuming between 25% and 36% of the gross profitability of the stations
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Between 50% and 70% of fuel sales are already made using cards. The service station sector accounts for 10% of all credit card sales nationwide.
Unlike other businesses, gas station owners cannot pass this cost on to the final consumer, as retail prices are set by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs.
When comparing the local situation with that of other countries, the trade association stressed that local rates are significantly higher than those in other markets. In Europe, for example, commissions range between 0.3% and 0.8%, levels well below those in force in the Dominican Republic.
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Given this reality, ANADEGAS proposed the creation of a special commission regime for the fuel sector.
The association argues that this measure is viable given that financial institutions have other sources of income, such as interest from financing, late fees, and memberships, so a differentiated treatment would not affect the sustainability of the financial system.
Engineer Juan Elías Pérez, president of ANADEGAS, reiterated that the intention is not to discourage the use of electronic payments, but to guarantee the economic stability of service stations through a “fair, technical, and sustainable” scheme that benefits both the national economy and consumers.
