Why does DeCA make me pay surcharge on my commissary purchases?

Surcharge is applied to the total value of each commissary purchase because the Congress has mandated collection of surcharge (currently 5 percent) to pay for commissary construction, equipment and maintenance.

All surcharge dollars collected are returned to commissary patrons in the form of continually improved commissary facilities. The amount of surcharge applied to a commissary sale transaction is shown as "SCG" on your sales receipt.

I've compared the amount of surcharge applied to my last commissary purchase to the bottom line total shown on my commissary sales receipt, and the surcharge appears to be higher than 5 percent.

I used a lot of coupons to reduce my bottom line cost, and think that I paid too much surcharge.

Surcharge is applied to the total value of your order BEFORE coupon values are deducted.

For example, if the total value of your order BEFORE coupon deductions is $100, surcharge is applied to this $100 total ($100 x .05 = $5). If you use $50 worth of coupons, your bottom line total will be $100+$5 surcharge=$105 - $50 coupon value=$55.

Surcharge is applied to the total value of a commissary purchase BEFORE coupon deductions to comply with the legal requirement to apply surcharge to the total cost of all goods sold in commissaries.