Minnesotans could be spending thousands each year on 'junk fees.' Some lawmakers want to ban them.

Mar 12, 20240

Shari L. Gross, Star Tribune count

Rep. Emma Greenman's bill would amend the deceptive practices act to require that any mandatory fee or surcharge be included in the advertised or list price for the goods and services.

These hidden fees pop up at the end of a transaction, right at the moment a consumer is about to purchase a product.

"Think about the last time you went out for dinner, or ordered online and saw a convenience fee, a service fee, a wellness fee that you weren't quite sure what that was for," said Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis.

She's carrying a bill this year to rein in the proliferation of businesses adding so-called hidden "junk fees" at the end of purchases, which have driven up the costs of everything from ordering at a restaurant and getting concert tickets to buying products online.

https://www.startribune.com/minnesotans-could-be-spending-thousands-each-year-on-junk-fees-some-lawmakers-want-to-ban-them/600350198/