Fashion brands log legal claims over Visa and Mastercard fees
Fashion firms are taking legal action over Mastercard and Visa card payment fees
More than a dozen brands have filed legal claims over historic charging fees, alleging a breach of competition laws, it was reported by The Telegraph.
It comes as Amazon confirmed UK customers will not be able to use Visa credit cards when using its e-commerce platform, because of high fees after Brexit.
Now, fresh action will see the High Court assess claims from brands including Levi, Superdry and AllSaints, advised by lawyers at Stephenson Harwood.
According to Visa, there is no connection between the firms’ legal claims and Amazon’s decision.
“Visa considers all claims relating to interchange to be without merit and will be vigorously defended,” a spokesperson for Visa told The Telegraph.
A Supreme Court ruling last year determined that fees foisted on retailers for every card transaction, by Visa and Mastercard, were a breach of EU and UK competition law.
Mastercard said: “We firmly believe that retailers of all sizes derive real value from our network and we are committed to supporting our retail partners to adapt and grow their businesses through this challenging time.”