Taxman encourages tourists to pay by card
Tourists are being encouraged to pay with plastic during their holidays in Greece – and to always ask for a receipt – by a new campaign from the country’s tax authority.
The “Apodixi_Please” (Receipt, Please) campaign of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) is being promoted on posters and online (aade.gr/apodixi).
“Welcome to Greece! We would like to inform you about your consumer rights. All hotels, restaurants and shops are obliged to accept debit/credit cards. You are not obliged to pay if you don’t get a receipt. So, ask to pay by card. Ask for a receipt,” the posters state.
“It’s so simply to say it in Greek! ‘Apodixi_Please.’”
The AADE tells tourists that card payments will ensure that the taxes that area already included in the price of the goods or services they are purchasing will end up in state coffers to the benefit of the economy.
“By using your card for your payments and asking for a receipt, you help the Greek tax administration collect taxes that are already included in the price you pay. Practically, you contribute to Greece’s financial recovery and offer us the opportunity to provide you with even better services next time you come to our country,” its website says.
The AADE also underlines that to be legal, receipts must bear the 9-digit tax number of the business as well as a 40-digit code at the end. It also points out that taxi drivers and kiosks are not obliged to accept card payments.
