About 2.4 million workers receive meal vouchers through a card

Approximately 2.4 million workers in Portugal receive meal allowances via bank cards, with tax exemptions expected to rise in 2027. In 2025, 4.7 million workers benefited from meal allowances, totaling €5.876 billion, with 2.4 million receiving €2.760 billion through meal vouchers. The meal allowance is not legally mandated for private sector workers but can be included in company agreements. Tax exemptions vary based on payment methods, with higher exemptions for card payments. Upcoming increases in public sector meal allowances will automatically raise tax exemptions for card users in the following years.