It appears that some restaurants and bars are now adding a “Covid service” surcharge to their bills.
The debate on this new “Covid rate” has jumped on social networks after a Twitter user shared a photo of the ticket from a bar in Tenerife. (See photo below.)
The association FACUA – Consumers in action has warned today that an increasing number of establishments in different sectors of activity, are adding this charge with the excuse that they have an increase in their expenses as a result of adopting the measures dictated by the Government. They are applying what they call the Covid surcharge, fee or supplement to users. And they clarify: this supplement is illegal .
FACUA warns that the fact that users are informed of the existence of this surcharge does not make it legal. Therefore, whether or not there is prior information, the supplement does not have to be paid and, in addition, it is advisable to take a photograph of the poster or receipt indicating its application and report it to the consumer protection authority of the autonomous community.
FACUA also insists that it is not acceptable for employers to take advantage of the current situation to make consumers pay supplements for hygienic measures such as the cleaning that was previously supposed to have been carried out by the company anyway.
In this sense, the establishment should adjust the prices of its goods and services according to the expenses it has and the profit margin for the company. It must adjust the rates according to these concepts and not create an extra supplement for Covid-19. It will, in any event, be the consumer who decides whether to accept the new prices or decide to opt not to use those establishments.
“What you think about this? Do you agree or not?
