The President of the United States showed how in touch he is with the working class of America on Tuesday at a rally in Florida when — in an effort to slam-dunk his case that voters should have to show photo ID — he reminded everyone that such identification is required to do everyday things like buy groceries.
Kroger has yet to initiate such a policy, but it has begun to suggest that shoppers may soon no longer be able to use Visa credit cards at their stores.
The maneuver is in response to a dispute over Visa “swipe fees,” a charge the credit card company puts on retailers with every customer transaction. (You would still be able to use your bank-issued Visa debit card.)
Kroger subsidiary Foods Co. will reportedly institute the “no Visas” policy later this month in stores and gas stations in California if a compromise isn’t reached.
A Kroger rep told Fortune a nationwide ban is definitely on the table.
“If we have to expand that beyond Foods Co., we’re prepared to take that step,” Kroger chief information representative Chris Hjelm said. “When the amount retailers pay in card fees ‘gets out of alignment,’ as we believe it is now, we don’t believe we have a choice but to use whatever mechanism possible to get it back in alignment.”
If the ban does go into effect, shoppers can always pay with debit cards, non-Visa credit cards and cash. Or you could pay with a check, but you’ll need a photo ID… OH MY GOD HE WAS RIGHT!
