Brazil expands meal and food voucher use to more merchants

The Brazilian government implemented a new rule on November 7 that allows workers to use meal and food vouchers at a wider range of payment terminals.

This change removes the requirement for different card operators to maintain exclusive networks, meaning merchants do not need separate contracts or equipment to serve customers using different benefit cards.

Workers who hold cards from companies such as Alelo, Ticket, VR, Pluxee, Flash, or Swile can now use their benefits at any establishment authorized to accept these payment types. The reform, which stems from a decree signed by President Lula in November 2025, aims to modernize the Programa de Alimentação do Trabalhador (PAT). The transition affects a market of more than 700,000 commercial establishments across Brazil. The new regulations also lower costs for merchants.

Operators must now cap transaction fees at 3.6%, limit exchange fees to 2%, and ensure merchants receive payment within 15 days. While some benefit companies and the Associação Brasileira de Bares e Restaurantes (Abrasel) expressed concerns regarding technical readiness, the Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego maintained the implementation date. The ministry will use the Auditoria-Fiscal do Trabalho to monitor compliance and issue fines to companies that fail to follow the new rules.

Workers do not need to request new cards or register for new apps, as the integration happens automatically. However, the government notes that acceptance will increase gradually as operators finish technical updates. The rule does not change the specific purpose of the vouchers, which remain restricted to ready-made meals and food items, respectively.