The conditions for receiving payments

Hello partner, on this page you will learn what you need to consider when receiving Edenred's payment methods.

What to consider when accepting payments made with employee benefits?

Have you ever wondered what obligations the Tax Administration has set for service providers receiving employment benefits? We have compiled them for you on one page!

Start by reading the general information below and then proceed to the guidelines for your own network; Edenred Lounari, Edenred Virike, Edenred Massage, Edenred Wellbeing or Edenred Transport.

Restrictions on the use of employee benefits​

Employee benefits are intended solely for the personal use of the beneficiary and cannot be used to pay for others' purchases. The Tax Administration specifies which products can be purchased with different fringe benefits (such as meal and commuting benefits) and staff benefits (such as sports, culture, massage, and wellbeing benefits), as well as the payment limits for each benefit.​

See for more information on fringe and staff benefits. 

Contract with Edenred

A service provider can accept Edenred's payment solutions once they have made a contract with Edenred and committed to ensuring that the benefit is used only for the products or services predetermined by the Tax Administration.​

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Allowed products and purchase limitations

The Tax Administration determines which products and services fall under different benefits. Purchase restrictions can be ensured, for example, by limiting the products or by verifying the payment.

Product limitation

A service provider can implement their own payment terminal for payments made with employment benefits and specify which products can be paid for with that payment terminal.

Payment notification

At the time of payment, the verification can occur, for example, by the the cash register system notifying the cashier that the payment is being made with Edenred.

Something to note

Payment at a self-service checkout is prohibited without a technical restriction.

If an Edenred benefit is attempted to be used for anything other than a tax-subsidized service or product, the payment recipient must intervene and prevent such activity.

Lunch benefit (Edenred Lounari)

Paying with lunch benefit

The tax-subsidized lunch benefit can only be used to pay for meals and the meal delivery costs. However, the meals are strictly defined, and as a general rule, a meal purchased with the lunch benefit should be a fresh portion that can be eaten immediately without any additional cooking.

The tax-subsidized lunch must be a local meal, prepared at the point of purchase or specifically made for the point of purchase. Such meals include, for example, a lunch portion from a restaurant, a salad from a café, or a take-away sushi set from a grocery store.

The benefit cannot be used to purchase food items, household goods, cigarettes, alcohol, or lottery products. This also applies to convenience foods.

Read more on the Tax Administration’s website (in Finnish).

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Payment limits for lunch benefit

The meal-specific minimun and maximum payment limits for the lunch benefit are determined annually by the Tax Administration. The minimum amount will always be charged for each payment made with the lunch benefit.

If the price of the lunch exceeds the maximum payment limit, the remaining amount must be paid using another payment method. No change can be given for the lunch benefit.

Employers determine the amount of lunch benefit they offer to their employees. According to the guidelines from the Tax Administration, this limit set by the employer is also the maximum allowed amount that an employee can use to pay for a meal. Edenred has technically limited the payments to this amount, which is why card users may request a charge that is lower than the maximum amount defined by the Tax Administration.​

Sports and culture benefit (Edenred Virike)

Paying with Virike benefit

The tax-free Virike benefit allows the beneficiary to engage in sports and cultural activities at a time and place of their choosing. The Virike benefit, in other words, the sports and culture benefit, is a benefit that can be used to pay for both sports and cultural activities. The benefit is personal.

The payment limit for the Virike benefit is 400 € / calendar year. This is an annual limit, which means that the entire amount can be used at once if desired. There is no limitations how the amount should be divided between sports and cultural services.

Read more on the Tax Administration's website (in Finnish).

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Self-directed exercise

Exercise refers to physical activity aimed at improving fitness or maintaining physical health and wellbeing. The benefit can be used for various forms of sports, including different individual and team sports, even utilizing remote connections. Activities involving animals, such as agility and horseback riding, are also considered exercise.

Since the benefit is intended for exercise, it cannot be used to purchase services that do not directly involve physical activity (e.g., simply purchasing a gym program with the benefit). Payments to sports clubs are counted under the benefit if the payment entitles the use of the club's sports services.

Additionally, merely renting equipment does not meet the criteria for exercise unless the equipment rental is directly related to a sport (e.g., shoes for bowling or renting ski gear in conjunction with purchasing a lift ticket).

 

Self-directed culture

The culture benefit can be used for attendance at events or occasions related to various art forms (such as museums, concerts, movies, theater performances, sporting events, or science centers). The benefit can also be used to pay for participation in various art courses and fairs that primarily focus on sports or culture (e.g., book fairs).

Self-directed culture also includes real-time participation in cultural events held remotely.

The benefit cannot be used to purchase tickets to fairs that are not primarily focused on sports or culture, such as pet fairs, beauty fairs, or other similar events

Season and series tickets

The purchase of series tickets is allowed with the Virike benefit.

Since the benefit is personal, a condition is that season and series tickets must be named or otherwise marked. This way, the identity of the ticket user can be verified later when the ticket is used.

Massage benefit (Edenred Massage)

Paying with massage benefit

The massage benefit can be used for classical massage and sports massage. According to the Tax Administration, the purpose of massage is muscle care, recovery, and relaxation. Therefore, treatments such as lymphatic or sound bowl therapies, or meditation are not included in the benefit.

Physiotherapy is not considered massage. It is often aimed at treating or preventing an existing injury. For this reason, physical therapy falls under the wellbeing benefit for tax purposes, rather than the massage benefit.

The Tax Administration sets a payment limit for the massage benefit, within which the benefit can be used during the calendar year. There are no daily payment limits for the benefit.

Read more on the Tax Administration's website (in Finnish).

Agreement between the service provider and the company

In order to use the massage benefit, the beneficiary's employer must have made an agreement with the service provider for the use of the massage service. This is done using Edenred's Merchant Selection Tool.

In the Merchant Selection Tool the employer specifies the locations where the benefit can be used (for example, all Edenred's massage partners). It is the employer's responsibility to determine and inform their staff where they can use their benefit.

Wellbeing benefit (Edenred Wellbeing)

Paying with wellbeing benefit

The tax-exempt healthcare services include health care provided by occupational health professionals and experts, which promotes the prevention of work-related illnesses and accidents, the healthiness and safety of work and the work environment, the functioning of the work community, and the health of employees.

In order for the user to aqcuire the service, it must be part of the company's occupational health care plan. See the list of service providers whose services can be paid for with the wellbeing benefit.

The Tax Administration sets a payment limit for the wellbeing benefit, within which the benefit can be used during the calendar year. There are no daily payment limits for the benefit.

Read more on the Tax Administration's website (in Finnish).

Agreement between the service provider and the company

In order to use the wellbeing benefit, the beneficiary's employer must have made an agreement with the service provider for the use of the health service. This is done using Edenred's Merchant Selection Tool.

In the Merchant Selection Tool, the employer specifies the locations where the benefit can be used (for example, all Edenred's wellbeing partners). It is the employer's responsibility to determine and inform their staff where they can use their benefit.

Commuting benefit (Edenred Transport)

Paying with commuting benefit

A company travel card refers to a personal public transport ticket provided by the employer to the employee. The benefit covers public transportation (i.e., buses and trains), city bikes, and route taxis.

The benefit is intended for travel between the employee's home and workplace. There are no restrictions on the number of trips or times of travel, and the purchase of seasonal and series tickets is also permitted. The tickets must be personal.

The Tax Administration set a payment limit, for the commuting benefit, within which the benefit can be used during a calendar year. There are no daily payment limits for the benefit.

Read more on the Tax Administration's website (in Finnish).

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Edenred beneficiary using their Edenred benefit at a cashier

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