Small business

ACCC Opening Statement - Parliamentary Inquiry into the Franchising Code of Conduct

ACCC Deputy Chair, Mick Keogh, told the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services Inquiry into the Franchising Code of Conduct:

The ACCC welcomes the opportunity to appear before the committee of Inquiry today.

While recognising the benefits associated with franchise business models, we also recognise the vulnerability of franchisees due to the significant personal and financial investment they commonly make, paired with the imbalance of power that can exist between franchisee and franchisor.

Luxottica to improve transparency for franchisees

Luxottica Franchising Australia (Luxottica), the franchisor of eyewear retailers OPSM and Laubman and Pank, has committed to be more transparent about the structure and operation of its franchise system to franchisees.

The commitment follows an ACCC investigation that found Luxottica’s marketing fund financial statement and disclosure document were unlikely to comply with the Franchising Code of Conduct.

Luxottica cooperated with the ACCC’s inquiries and voluntarily committed to change the documents to give franchisees a more open and transparent account of the business.

Small business in focus - 1 January to 30 June 2018

This twice-yearly report provides a summary of ACCC activities in the small business, franchising and agriculture sectors.

ACCCount 1 April to 30 June 2018

ACCCount details the ACCC's activities in the enforcement of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, merger reviews, compliance actions, adjudication issues, economic regulation and international involvement.

ACCC releases blueprint to reduce electricity prices

The ACCC’s recommendations to significantly improve electricity affordability for Australian consumers and businesses are outlined in its final Retail Electricity Pricing Inquiry report, released today.

The Inquiry, which commenced in March 2017, began by identifying the root causes of high electricity prices across the entire electricity supply chain, and has now made 56 recommendations detailing ways to fix the National Electricity Market.