Everyday Consumer - Consumers' Federation of Australia

8 August , 2022

Food and Agruculture Organization interview CFA Executive Ian Jarratt

Ian Jarratt, CFA Executive member and Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) member, was recently interviewed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations about the importance of food transparency, unit pricing, and the role that consumer associations need to play in the transformation of agri-food systems. In this interview, he talks about his experiences from…

20 July , 2022

Catriona Lowe nominated as ACCC deputy chair

Former Consumers’ Federation of Australia chairperson, and long-time consumer rights advocate Catriona Lowe has been nominated as Deputy Chairperson of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). This was written with information taken from a Government News post published on 14th July, 2022. Ms Lowe is due to take up the role on 27 January 2023.…

8 July , 2022

Worried about debt? Talk to your bank or creditors and avoid dodgy advice, warns AFSA

Australians are facing the perfect storm for increased financial insecurity in the next 12 months, making them vulnerable to dodgy insolvency advice. On the back of a tough few years of fire, drought, flood and the pandemic, rising interest rates and cost of living pressures mean that more Australians may struggle to pay their bills…

5 July , 2022

Australian consumers in their own words: new research from the CPRC

What does it mean to be a consumer in Australia? New research from the Consumer Policy Research Centre outlines how people across Australia describe their experiences and expectations of how business treat them. This is a media release from The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC). It was originally published on 29th June, 2022. For more information about this research,…

28 June , 2022

Businesses on notice as mandatory button battery laws commence

Businesses which supply button batteries or products powered by them must now comply with mandatory button battery safety and information standards taking effect from today or face serious penalties, the ACCC warns. This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. It was originally published on 22nd June, 2022. “These world-first standards are a critical…

14 June , 2022

Crypto: As risky as gambling and a haven for scams that demands action

Consumer Action is calling for meaningful protections from scams to apply to businesses operating in the crypto sector. This is a media release from Consumer Action Law Centre. It was originally published on 30th May, 2022. The call comes in a submission to the Treasury’s consultation paper Crypto asset secondary service providers: Licensing and custody requirements, in which Treasury proposes…

14 June , 2022

“Volatile, complex and high-risk”: CHOICE calls for stronger crypto consumer protections

Consumer group CHOICE has released new data from a nationally representative survey of consumers that shows more than 1 in 9 Australians (12%) have purchased crypto such as Bitcoin or Ethereum in the past 12 months. This is a media release from CHOICE. It was originally published on 31st May, 2022. Read a longer CHOICE article on cryptocurrency.…

10 June , 2022

New protections needed to stop online designs that hurt consumers

Consumer think tank, the Consumer Policy Research Centre, today released research that found 83% of Australians have been negatively impacted by a website or app using harmful design features, known as dark patterns. This is a media release from the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC). It was originally published on 8th June, 2022. In its report, Duped by Design,…

16 May , 2022

Inadequate unit pricing risks higher grocery prices, says complaint to ACCC

The Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA) has complained to the ACCC about the inadequate display of grocery unit pricing in some supermarkets operated by Woolworths and by Harris Farm Markets. CFA’s CEO Gerard Brody says “it is essential that the unit prices of grocery products are displayed so that they are easy for all consumers…

5 May , 2022

Grocery shoppers advised to look out for “shrinkflation”: hidden grocery price increases caused by package downsizing

The Queensland Consumers Association (QCA) is advising grocery shoppers to look out for hidden price increases caused by reductions in the amount of product in pre-packaged items. This is a media release from Queensland Consumers Association. It was originally published on 10th April, 2022. Unless the selling price is also reduced proportionally, package downsizing means that consumers pay more…

28 March , 2022

Breath alcohol electronic testing devices for personal use – draft open for public comment

Driving while under the influence of alcohol affects perception, vision, concentration, reaction time and causes drowsiness – all of which increase the chances of having an accident. Consequences of drink driving include severe penalties, trauma, and death. Breath alcohol testing devices for personal use should be able to perform in a manner that allows the user to make…

25 March , 2022

Mandatory grocery unit pricing coming to India and New Zealand

The latest edition of the Queensland Consumers Association’s (QCA) newsletter Unit Pricing Global Update reports that: India will require display of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) per standardised unit of measure (i.e. the unit price) on pre-packaged commodities sold by retailers after 31 March 2022. Currently only the MRP has to be displayed. In New…