OCTOBER TRADE NEWS Shoppers 'look to high street for good service’ CBI issues latest gloomy Christmas warning 'Lessons to be learned' from Italian retail Wholesale cosmetics warning for small retailers Retailers facing toughest Christmas ever BRC worried by new MasterCard charges The changing face of the retail landscape Success for Dragon's Den failure Shopkeepers prepare to cope with recession Irish consumers desert high street for e-tail Pre-Xmas retail conditions set to worsen Small retailers reminded about skills funding Review for magazine wholesaler competition London retail sales worst since summer 2005 Online retail spending gradually weakening Retailers fear downturn will drive up crime David Cameron tours wholesale clothing store Philip Green high street take over 'unlikely' West London shops 'fearful of Westfield' Major retail chains report falling profits Cross-border Irish trade 'defies downturn' New e-venture for small retailers in Wales Smaller retailers 'coping well' with credit crunch Lib Dem MP backs Think Smallest First pledge Wholesale electrical goods supplier bucks trend List of top 12 Christmas toys unveiled Shoppers prepare for belt tightening this Xmas eBay sets maximum P&P in several categories Philip Green set to shake up UK high street Entrepreneur sells Xmas tree business Small traders in Manchester face up to crunch Wholesalers sound alarm bells over Nokia rip-offs Resilient independent retailer enters top 100 list Shoppers urged to back local retailers in Sheffield Jersey retailers turn to Sunday trading More retailers face insolvency in 2009 Nintendo DSi games to be region-specific BSSA invites input from small retailers Seller group slams eBay for 'harmful' changes Kitchenware wholesaler sells York premises Sales tipped to fall in run-up to Christmas Downturn prompts employment cutbacks Online shoppers 'look beyond price' FSB: New business regulations too burdensome Global financial crisis sinks teeth into retail Tesco profits 'threaten Suffolk high streets’ Consumers prefer to shop in store than online UK wholesalers fairing well, research reveals Retailers 'losing out to charity shops' Consumers warm to card security systems Trade News Archive October 08 September 08 August 08 July 08 June 08 May 08 April 08 March 08 February 08 January 08 Subscribe to our newsletter   Go to The Wholesaler UK Directory   28th October 2008 BRC worried by new MasterCard charges Small firms could be "pushed over the edge" by MasterCard's increased membership charges. That is according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which has warned that the increases - that could be as much as 161 per cent - coupled with the new development charge could prove too costly for some retailers. As noted by the BRC, MasterCard's domestic interchange charges are the subject of a pending Office of Fair Trade ruling, while its cross-border interchange fees have been ruled unlawful by the European Commission. The organisation has suggested that MasterCard appears to be making up for the lost revenue with the new 'development' fee and by increasing its card scheme costs. The BRC has written to MasterCard to "express its serious concern" that the company is making things more difficult for retailers in the current financial climate. Stephen Robertson, BRC director general, commented: "MasterCard's fee increases and new charge are another slap in the face for hard-pressed customers and retailers, especially smaller businesses. At a time when the UK economy is teetering on the edge of recession, we should all being doing our bit to help rather than exploiting opportunities to bolster profits." (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd. Comment on this news story