As Australians hang the stockings and start ticking off their shopping lists, the Albanese Government is warning retailers dodgy tactics and unsafe products will not be tolerated.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) – Australia’s consumer watchdog – is checking its list twice and will be keeping a close eye on retailers, both online and in‑store, to make sure Australians get a fair go at the checkout.
Labor strengthened the law to ensure serious breaches of the Australian Consumer Law come with serious consequences. Retailers who make false or misleading representations or fail to meet their obligations now face penalties of up to $50 million per breach.
When shopping online or in‑store, consumers should:
- Watch for false urgency: Misleading countdown timers or “limited time” claims designed to pressure you into buying.
- Check discount claims: Be wary of “store‑wide” or “site‑wide” sale promises when only a few items are actually discounted.
- Look for safety compliance: Products like children’s toys or items containing button batteries must meet mandatory safety standards.
- Report dodgy dealers: Unsafe products or misleading ads can be reported to the ACCC
When you buy goods or services and they break too easily, don’t work or don’t perform as expected, you have rights under the law.
Under the consumer law, goods must be safe, work properly, and do what they’re meant to do.
Services must be delivered with due care and skill, be fit for purpose, and provided within a reasonable time.
If these guarantees aren’t met, you may be entitled to a repair, replacement, refund or other remedy.
These rights are protected under the law and cannot be taken away by anything a business says or does.
For example, retailers cannot display ‘no refunds’ signs, claim they aren’t responsible for faulty products, or suggest you need to buy an extended warranty to keep your basic rights.
Consumer guarantees are automatic and apply to all products and services that are normally bought for personal use.
They are different from warranties, which are extra promises a business may choose to offer on top of the consumer guarantees.
The Government has backed the ACCC with $30 million in funding to ramp up investigations and enforcement in the retail and supermarket sectors.
We’re also:
- Making supermarket price gouging illegal
- Strengthening the Unit Pricing Code to tackle shrinkflation
- Banning unfair trading practices, including subscription traps and strengthening drip pricing protections.
More information on your rights can be found on the ACCC’s website.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Treasury, Andrew Leigh MP
“Australians deserve confidence that the gifts they buy are safe and the savings they see are real. Retailers who break the rules risk massive penalties.”
“This festive season should be about joy, not misleading sales tactics. We’ve given the ACCC the tools to act, and we expect retailers to play fair.”