NACS continues push for swipe fee reform

Industry group partners with retailers and Rovertown to mobilize customers, sending 10,000 letters to Congress.

NACS, the leading U.S. association for the convenience and fuel retail industry, has stepped up its grassroots advocacy on swipe fee reform, working with retailers and mobile app provider Rovertown. 

Through the apps, customers could tap for information, then were directed to a NACS Grassroots page where they could contact lawmakers. Within weeks, over 10,000 letters were submitted to Congress.

“Swipe fees are a hidden tax on nearly every transaction,” said Anna Ready Blom, Strategic Advisor at NACS. “They’re the second-highest cost for convenience retailers, yet most consumers don’t realize they’re paying them. This campaign helped turn awareness into action by giving retailers and their customers a way to demand change.”

The initiative builds on an earlier 2024 campaign that generated more than 3,000 letters, signaling momentum in NACS’ long-running fight for swipe fee reform. To amplify its message, NACS partnered with more than 15 retailers who used Rovertown’s mobile app platform to deliver reform messaging directly to customers.

Retailers say the campaign demonstrated the impact of engaging consumers directly. “Giving our customers a voice has been powerful,” said Murat Tokad, President and CEO at Huck’s. “With just a few taps, they saw how swipe fees impact them and took real action to push for change.”

The effort underscores how the industry is leveraging digital tools to engage consumers on one of its most pressing cost challenges. Swipe fees, set primarily by Visa and Mastercard, which control more than 80% of the U.S. market, have ballooned from $26 billion in 2010 to more than $187 billion in 2024. With no competition to constrain them, the costs continue to climb, contributing to higher prices for everyday purchases.