With Australia’s ban on card surcharges set to take effect on October 1, new data from YouGov shows 56% of Australians expect the end of card surcharges to change how they pay, with younger Australians particularly likely to anticipate a shift in their behaviour.

“Our data suggests the removal of card surcharges could affect how Australians approach everyday payments, with some consumers expecting to make more small purchases by card and spend more overall,” said Fumin Rianto, Research Director, YouGov Australia.

“These expected changes are particularly pronounced among younger Australians, suggesting the change could affect not only how people pay, but how they shop.”

The top changes include 22% saying they’ll be less likely to avoid a business specifically because of card surcharges, while 20% expect to pay less attention altogether to which payment method they use. 18% plan to make more small purchases by card, and 11% expect to spend more overall when paying by card.

Despite these expected behaviour shifts, most Australians don’t expect their card usage to change. Nearly two-thirds (64%) expect their debit card usage to stay the same, while 23% expect to use it more often. Similarly, 47% expect no change in credit card usage, while 19% anticipate an increase.

Gen Z and Millennials expect the biggest changes

Nearly two in three Gen Z (65%) and Millennial (63%) Australians expect their behaviour to change once surcharges disappear, well ahead of their older counterparts.

Younger Australians are also the most likely to expect to spend more when paying by card (17% of both groups) and make more small purchases by card (23% Gen Z, 21% Millennials). But while Gen Z’s expected changes focus more on how they choose to pay, including selecting a card based on rewards or points and being less likely to avoid a business over a surcharge, Millennials are more likely to expect to pay less attention to their payment method and carry less cash.

Most expect to notice the difference at the till

The data shows that 71% of Australians expect to notice a difference when paying for things once the ban takes effect.

33% expect to notice fewer unexpected extra charges when paying. But consumers don’t necessarily expect the costs to disappear altogether: 29% expect new or increased fees elsewhere, while 26% anticipate higher advertised prices.