Post thumbnail
CHOICE reveals 7 in 10 stores surveyed misled consumers on their rights A new investigation from CHOICE ahead of this year’s Black Friday sales has found Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys stores are misleading customers about their rights to a refund, replacement or repair. CHOICE conducted a mystery shop of 80 Harvey…
Read More Poor value extended warranties onto customers, says CHOICE
Post thumbnail
The UK consumer organisation Which? has launched a campaign – Affordable Food for All – because Which? says millions of families are skipping meals to survive the cost of living crisis and with the price of essential products soaring, supermarkets have a crucial role to play to help everyone. Which? also conducted a consumer survey…
Read More UK supermarkets asked to implement a 10 point action plan to improve food affordability
Post thumbnail
The ACCC has recommended a range of new measures to address harms from digital platforms to Australian consumers, small businesses and competition. The fifth report of the ACCC’s five-year Digital Platform Services Inquiry has proposed that platforms be subject to mandatory dispute resolution processes and stronger requirements for combating scams, harmful apps and fake reviews,…
Read More ACCC calls for new competition and consumer laws for digital platforms
Post thumbnail
This ‘Scams Awareness Week’, Westjustice and Scope are excited to launch this Easy English guide on avoiding scams. You can find the guide here. ‘Easy English’ or accessible written information is a simple and concise style of writing and images to explain certain concepts. Easy English can help everyone, including people with intellectual disabilities, people…
Read More Westjustice & Scope Launch Easy English Scams Guide
online, support, service-4436349.jpg
Assistive Technology (AT) users should expect to be able to make informed decisions based on the highest standards of assistive technology provision to meet their AT goals and needs. Industry groups have put out a joint statement to encourage AT product suppliers and advisory service providers to work collaboratively with the user of AT to…
Read More Business integrity and legal requirements in the Assistive Technology sector: industry statement
Post thumbnail
Australians are being urged to learn how to spot a scam this national Scams Awareness Week (7-11 November) after combined losses of over $2 billion reported last year to Scamwatch, the government and the financial sector. This year combined losses might reach $4 billion as losses reported to Scamwatch are already significantly higher than 2021.…
Read More Scams Awareness Week 2022 empowers Australians to spot a scam
hands looking at contracts
Companies that breach the competition and consumer laws could face new and higher penalties under legal changes which passed Parliament last week. The changes consist of two parts; the introduction of penalties and other changes relating to unfair contract terms, and significant increases in maximum penalties for breaches of certain provisions of the Competition and…
Read More ACCC welcomes new penalties and expansion of the unfair contract terms laws
The recent Commonwealth, State and Territory Consumer Affairs Ministers meeting in Adelaide saw a renewed commitment to collaboration across borders and to strengthen consumer protections. Ministers attending the meeting, chaired by South Australian Minister for Consumer Affairs Andrea Michaels, discussed and agreed on priorities for future work, which include: legislation to make unfair contract terms…
Read More Consumer Affairs Ministers meet in Adelaide in September 2022
The Australian Government has released a factsheet to provide information on what to do if your data has been compromised in the recent Medibank and AHM cyber incident. If you think you may be affected by the breach, contact Medibank Private on 13 23 31 or AHM on 13 42 46. If you are concerned…
Read More Guidance for consumers impacted by the Medibank Private and AHM cyber incident
Post thumbnail
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…
Read More Worried about debt? Talk to your bank or creditors and avoid dodgy advice, warns AFSA
Post thumbnail
Following its decision to require grocery retailers to provide consumers with unit pricing (pricing per unit of measure), the NZ government recently released a wide ranging Discussion Paper seeking views on many aspects of unit pricing, including system design, scope and implementation, prior to releasing draft legislation. It is now considering submissions received. The system…
Read More Australians make submissions on proposed NZ grocery unit pricing system
Post thumbnail
Scamwatch is urging the public to be wary of phone messages from a family member or friend claiming they need help, following a significant rise in “Hi Mum” scams in recent months. This is a media release from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). It was originally published on 23rd August, 2022. More than 1,150 Australians fell…
Read More ACCC warning of suspicious messages as “Hi Mum” scams spike
