Everyday Consumer

Cadbury chocolate bars Cadbury chocolate bars

Consumers’ Federation of Australia member CHOICE has priced national brand groceries at Coles, Woolwoths and Aldi. Read CHOICE’s article to see where to find products for the cheapest price and how to use unit pricing to check which pack size ofers the best value for money. Our price survey found that products from national brands…

Read More Cadbury, Coca Cola, Colgate. Which supermarket is cheapest for national brands?

A receipt for grocery items. In the background are grocery items A receipt for grocery items. In the background are grocery items

In the latest edition of the ISO Consumer Update, Consumers International says consumer advocacy has a vital role to play in guiding, advising and informing consumers to ensure they can access a fair and affordable market for essential products and services. The Update also refers to a recent guest blog on CI’s website about: How…

Read More ISO standard on unit pricing relevant to consumers affected by the COVID-19 economic crisis

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Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is advising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers to protect themselves after it was revealed they had lost millions of dollars to scammers. Fair Trading Executive Director Brian Bauer said Indigenous Australians last year reported more than 2,700 scams resulting in $2.1 million in losses, and that figure was…

Read More Indigenous Australians lose millions to scammers

Cans of food stacked on a shelf in a grocery store Cans of food stacked on a shelf in a grocery store

The consumer peak body, the Consumers’ Federation of Australia (CFA), says the federal government should help consumers get greater value for money during the current economic crisis. CFA chair, Gerard Brody, says “The federal; government could help consumers save hundreds of millions of dollars a year by completing and implementing quickly the review of the…

Read More Pricing policies need fixing to give grocery shoppers better value for money during COVID-19 crisis

Triangular road signs with 'scam' written in all caps Triangular road signs with 'scam' written in all caps

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission, as one of the agencies responsible for the National Indigenous Consumer Strategy (NICS), urges Indigenous consumers to be wary of scams, including anyone calling them out of the blue asking for personal details or offering investment opportunities. As part of National Scams Awareness Week, which began on 17 August…

Read More ASIC warns Indigenous consumers about scams

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The ACCC has launched a podcast series for this year’s National Scams Awareness Week to provide Australians with tips on how to protect their personal and financial details from scammers. The five-episode podcast series, ‘This Is Not Your Life’, is produced by Julian Morrow, the creator of ABC TV’s consumer series The Checkout. The podcast,…

Read More National Scams Awareness Week: ‘This Is Not Your Life’

two people texting on smartphones two people texting on smartphones

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) today launched the next phase of its action plan to combat scams, unveiling a suite of new resources designed to help Australians protect themselves on their home and mobile phones from scams. Chair of the ACMA’s Scam Taskforce Fiona Cameron said scammers are using the COVID-19 pandemic to take advantage of…

Read More ACMA moves to protect Australians from phone scams

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The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Friday published Testing Comprehension of the Reference Price, research jointly commissioned from the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT). This research provides new insights about the ways consumers understand electricity offers and the AER and the ACCC will use these insights to consider how…

Read More New research shines light on how consumers understand electricity offers

A black calculator next to a hard copy bank statement A black calculator next to a hard copy bank statement

A new research report by the Consumer Policy Research Centre explores the global response to COVID-19, with nationwide survey of 1114 Australians showing people are drawing on limited resources just to make ends meet. 12 million Australians are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their financial wellbeing; 1 in 5 are ‘very’ concerned Almost…

Read More 1 in 4 Australians are struggling to pay for essentials such as energy, groceries and insurance, adding to existing rent and mortgage stress

Triangular road signs with 'scam' written in all caps Triangular road signs with 'scam' written in all caps

ASIC has seen a rise in the number of investment scam reports from Australian consumers and investors during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Reports of misconduct received by ASIC from March to May 2020 are up 20% compared to the same period last year. ASIC Executive Director for Assessment and Intelligence Warren Day said economic uncertainty…

Read More Rise in investment scams during COVID-19 pandemic