World Consumer Rights Day Archives - Consumers' Federation of Australia

10 November , 2023

World Consumer Rights Day 2024 – ‘Fair and responsible AI for consumers’

Every year on March 15 the consumer movement celebrates?World Consumer Rights Day, raising global awareness?of consumer?rights, consumer protection and empowerment. Consumers International?is proud and privileged to coordinate this day of global collaboration,?with?200 consumer advocacy members in over 100 countries.

12 March , 2021

World Consumer Rights Day (15 March 2021) ‘Tackling Plastic Pollution’

Most plastics are made to be used once before being discarded and consumer awareness of the plastics crisis is growing around the world. On average, Australians use 130 kg of plastic per person each year and up to 130,000 tonnes of plastic will find its way into our waterways and into the ocean. The good news is…

27 March , 2019

2019 CFA Advocacy Prizewinner announced

The CFA Prize for Consumer Advocacy is awarded annually at the ACCC National Consumer Congress. Now in its second year, the prize is open to any consumer advocate or advocacy organisation who has conducted consumer advocacy during the previous year. This year, the judging panel consisted of Gail Pearson, Gordon Renouf and Delia Rickard. Entries were judged on the following…

18 March , 2019

Reimagining the Corporation: Fiona Guthrie’s speech to the National Consumer Congress

The following is a transcript of the keynote address presented by Fiona Guthrie AM, Chief Executive Officer of Financial Counselling Australia, at the ACCC 2019 National Consumer Congress. Reimagining the Corporation: Why we need to change the purpose of our biggest companies INTRODUCTION I am going to begin and end this speech in the same place. And that is…

18 March , 2019

Unsafe goods should be illegal to sell

There should be a law in Australia prohibiting the sale of unsafe goods, ACCC Chair Rod Sims told the National Consumer Congress in Melbourne last week. Using new data the ACCC estimates the annual cost of injury and death caused by unsafe consumer products is at least $5 billion and could be much more. Excluding motor vehicle…

14 March , 2019

World Consumer Rights Day 2019

The consumer movement marks 15th March with World Consumer Rights Day every year, as a means of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. Celebrating the day is a chance to demand that the rights of all consumers are respected and protected, and to protest against market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.…

11 April , 2018

Fiona Guthrie AM presents 2018 Ruby Hutchison Memorial Lecture

The following is an edited extract of the 2018 Ruby Hutchison Memorial Lecture, presented by Fiona Guthrie AM, Chief Executive Officer of Financial Counselling Australia. The annual lecture is a CHOICE and ACCC co-project. Queensland’s Courier Mail recently ran a front-page story about payday loans. It told the story of Trina Begg, a single mother of…

15 March , 2018

Complaints management gets big thumbs up on World Consumer Rights Day

Proper complaints management can provide a major financial boost for NSW businesses according to a new report released today, Minister for Better Regulation Matt Kean said. The report – released to coincide with World Consumer Rights Day today – was produced by the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals (SOCAP), and the University of Newcastle. Mr…

16 March , 2017

Nine Hours of Conditions Apply *

CHOICE says global companies need to stop pushing consumers into signing off on long, unreadable online contracts Consumers’ Federation of Australia member CHOICE is calling on the Federal Government to stop companies from forcing consumers to accept tens-of-thousands of words of complex requirements, just to use a product, after a review of e-reader terms and…

15 March , 2017

Consumers want improvements to online grocery selling sites

Consumers want improvements to online grocery selling sites Online food and grocery sellers in Australia should make it much easier for shoppers to compare the value of items on their websites, says CFA member Queensland Consumers Association. QCA spokesperson, Ian Jarratt, says online grocery sellers can best do this by providing the unit price (price…

29 November , 2016

CI fights for UN recognition of World Consumer Rights Day

In early 2016, Consumers International (CI) has proposed the United Nations to recognise World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) as an official UN International Day. CFA is happy to report that over the year, the recognition of WCRD has made significant improvement. The proposal was raised for debate at the pilot UN Intergovernmental Expert Group Meeting…

13 March , 2014

Consumer groups mobilise to demand phone rights for 7 billion users

Consumers International wants telcos held to account as mobile technology evolves further