The federal government notified the four largest meal and food voucher providers to explain the fees charged to commercial establishments. The notification was made by Labor Minister Luiz Marinho after it was found that the companies are charging amounts above the ceiling established by the Executive.
Since February, a decree signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, which regulated the Worker Food Program (PAT), stipulates that the maximum fee charged should be 3.6%. The measure was part of a policy to control the prices of these benefits.
However, a survey conducted by Ipsos-Ipec between June and July revealed that the average fee charged by providers rose from 5.19% in April to 6.18%. The values are well above the limit imposed by the presidential decree.
The article suggests that the meal voucher price cap policy did not achieve the expected result for the government, with fees remaining above the established level.
