From April 26, egg producers, supermarkets and egg re-sellers must be sure that the labelling on all ‘free range’ eggs lives up to the new standards, applied under Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The new laws have been put in place to ensure egg labelling is transparent and shoppers are getting what they pay for. Do you […]
Food businesses have less than six months left before the new country of origin labelling requirements become mandatory on 1 July 2018. Australian consumers have made it known they want clearer and more meaningful country of origin food labelling so they can make more informed choices about the food they buy. The Turnbull Government has responded […]
The Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA) and the National Retail Association (NRA) have welcomed today’s determination by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to re-authorise the Casual Mall Licensing Code of Practice. The Code, which provides for the balanced and consistent management of casual mall licensing in shopping centres, was first authorised by […]
The retail trade figures for July released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics this week showed that the industry enjoyed a solid start to the financial year. I’m always aware that these figures vary from state to state and sector to sector, but on the whole it was encouraging to see the 3.5 per cent […]
By Angela Szczepanski and Sid Sidhu With the new financial year in full swing, franchisors are reminded not to forget their end of year obligations under the Competition and Consumer (Industry Codes – Franchising) Regulation 2014 (‘Franchising Code’). This article focuses particularly on the obligation to update your disclosure document and to provide vital information […]
by NRA Legal The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging retailers to take action to ensure compliance with new food labelling requirements which come into effect on 1 July 2018. Previously, country of origin labelling was regulated under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, but now these requirements have effect under federal […]
HAVE YOUR SAY The Australian Government’s Productivity Commission is undertaking a study of the current administration and enforcement of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Their main task is to examine the effectiveness of the multiple-regulator model in supporting a single national consumer policy framework, and to make findings on how the model can be strengthened. […]
by Ben Desir, NRA Legal Workplace Advisor The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has instituted proceedings for misleading and deceptive conduct against a technology retailer. The ACCC has accused several entities operating under the MSY Technology banner of misrepresenting consumers’ rights to remedies for faulty products, by claiming that: MSY Technology had discretion to […]
Bicycles in Australia are currently regulated by a mandatory safety standard that sets out requirements for braking, steering function, reflectors, bells, identification markers and user guidance. In addition to the mandatory standard all State and Territory road rules require bicycles to have a brake, reflectors and a bell. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) […]
Christmas & Australian Consumer Law Obligations As consumers start their Christmas shopping early, the National Retail Association are reminding retail businesses to revise and align their exchange, return and refund policies to meet the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission standards. The ACCC Commissioner, Sarah Court, reported that many clothing retailers have been displaying “No Refunds” […]
Last week I mentioned the ongoing review of the General Retail Industry Award, and specifically the issue of penalty rates for Sundays. This week I attended a talk on the issue by the President of the Fair Work Commission, Justice Iain Ross. While he didn’t comment on the likely decision, he did make reference to […]
The ACCC has hit online fashion retailer OzSale with a $500,000 fine for failing to comply with mandatory safety standards. Proceedings in the Federal Court alleged the member-only shopping club sold children’s nightwear between July 2014 and October 2015 which did not meet Australian safety standards in relation to at least five garments and made […]
Last week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) gave JB Hi-Fi the thumbs up to buy The Good Guys. The ACCC chairman Rod Sims stated that the takeover would not reduce competition in consumer electronics or whitegoods as JB Hi-Fi were focused on different product categories and consumers than The Good Guys. “We considered […]
Last week we discussed the Australian Bureau of Statistics retail trade figures for June, which continued a year-long pattern for the sector of almost standing still when population growth is factored in. As we’ve been analysing the highlights of the industry over the last year, however, there have generally been two sectors performing ahead of […]
In light of the recent election results, the Coalition is set to make dramatic changes to businesses engaging in wage fraud. With $20 million worth of funding, the Coalition is set to introduce a policy which will clamp down on wage fraud nationally, alongside new penalties which will be 10 times higher than the current […]
For many years there has been intense debate across the retail and shopping centre industries concerning how retail leases are regulated and issues surrounding distortions in market power. There has been numerous reviews by the Productivity Commission resulting in the lodgement of significant numbers of submissions from both sides of the debate. In addition each […]
Business doesn’t stop on 30 June. There are no grace periods for getting some well-earned shut eye as the doors open back up and the online orders keep rolling in. Most businesses have tunnel vision at this tough time of year, however it’s important to keep the future in the forefront of your thoughts. The […]
The media attention surrounding the 7-Eleven chain last year was a wake-up call for the entire retail industry. At the time, the National Retail Association urged all retailers to ensure they understood and were actively complying with their obligations to employees in relation to pay rates and conditions. This week the former head of the […]
Details of the Coalition’s plan for a strong new economy have been revealed including a policy to protect vulnerable workers following the recent 7-Eleven wages scandal. The controversy and issues surrounding the exploitation of staff at 7-Eleven has demonstrated the need to strengthen existing laws. More specifically, this saga has exposed a widespread practice amongst […]
The National Retail Technical Standards Committee will be meeting in Sydney later this month to discuss the current challenges of product safety and compliance. The committee is an important forum for the development of the retail industry policy. It communicates regularly with government decision-makers and agencies, including Standards Australia, the ACCC, offices of Fair Trading […]