Brazil implements interoperability for meal and food vouchers

New regulations for meal and food vouchers (vale-refeição and vale-alimentação) in Brazil have introduced a system of full interoperability. Under these rules, cards issued by different operators must be accepted by any payment terminal enabled for these benefits, regardless of the specific provider or network used by the establishment.

Key changes include the ability for workers to use their benefits at a wider range of supermarkets and restaurants without being limited to a single operator's network. To support this, transaction discount rates for establishments will be capped at 3.6 percent, and merchants are expected to receive payments within 15 calendar days.

The Brazilian Ministry of Labor and Employment is monitoring the implementation, which aims to increase market competition and reduce the concentration of power among large operators. While the technological infrastructure is changing, the monetary value of the benefits and their intended purposes remain the same.