Protest against UPI charges: Restaurants and supermarkets announce boycott of digital payments

KOCHI: The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has announced that its members will stop accepting UPI payments above Rs 2,000 from October 15 in protest against the move to impose charges on UPI transactions.

UPI has become an essential part of daily transactions in the hotel industry, with both small eateries and large restaurants accepting digital payments. The proposed charges would increase the financial burden on restaurant owners and adversely affect small establishments, said association president G. Jayapal and general secretary N. Abdul Razak.

They added that the hotel industry, which is already struggling with challenges such as rising prices, cannot afford any additional financial burden.

Meanwhile, the Super Market Welfare Association Kerala (SWAK) has announced that supermarkets will stop accepting UPI payments on October 15 in protest against the proposed charges.

The association said supermarkets would be among the worst affected by the UPI charges, as monthly grocery bills for an average family often exceed Rs 2,000.

Highlighting the concerns of around 4,000 supermarkets across Kerala, SWAK state president Jorphin Petta, general secretary K. A. Ziaudeen and vice-president Saju Moolan urged the authorities to reconsider the proposed UPI charges imposed on traders.