Franchising and the ACCC
ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh addresses the Franchise Council of Australia’s National Conference regarding the ACCC’s role in franchising, its submission to the Franchise Inquiry and some recent enforcement actions.
Business responsibilities
Action against Mitolo for alleged unfair contract terms
The ACCC has instituted proceedings against Mitolo Group Pty Ltd and a related entity (together, Mitolo) alleging that several terms in Mitolo’s standard form contracts with potato farmers are unfair contract terms, and that Mitolo has breached the Horticulture Code in its dealings with farmers.
“This is the first court action the ACCC has taken under the newly introduced Horticulture Code and our first unfair contract terms action in the agriculture industry,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
Country of origin food labelling surveillance to commence
After 1 July, Australian consumers will have much greater certainty about the origins of the food they buy, due to the introduction of mandatory Country of Origin food labelling. The ACCC will conduct market surveillance checks on 10,000 food products to ensure businesses are correctly displaying the new labels.
All businesses–including manufacturers, processors and importers that offer food for retail sale in Australia–will need to comply with the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard, which specifies how claims can be made about the origin of food products.
Release of the OECD’s Pecuniary Penalties for Competition Law Infringements in Australia report
ACCC Chairman Rod Sims' speech on the release of the OECD’s Pecuniary Penalties for Competition Law Infringements in Australia report.
OECD finds Australian competition law penalties are significantly lower
The ACCC will re-think its approach to penalties for breaches of the competition law after an OECD report found that average Australian penalties are significantly lower than those imposed in other comparable OECD jurisdictions.
2018 compliance & enforcement priorities
In his annual CEDA address, Chairman Rod Sims launched the ACCC's 2018 Compliance and Enforcement policy. This year, the ACCC will focus on consumer issues in broadband services and energy, competition in the financial services and commercial construction sectors, systemic consumer guarantee issues, and conduct that may contravene the new misuse of market power and concerted practices provisions.
Country of origin representations: when you can safely make an origin claim
Do you sell goods in Australia? Do you know when you can safely make a country of origin claim? Don’t get caught out! Watch this video to ensure your claim won’t raise concerns under the Australian Consumer Law.
Airlines need to comply with consumer law
With over 10 million passengers flying last December and January, the ACCC has today released a report Airlines: Terms and conditions ahead of the busy Christmas travel season to remind travellers of their rights.
Section 46 no defence for uncompetitive firms
ACCC Chairman Rod Sims has delivered a warning to Australian firms: the competition watchdog is not going to protect them from competition.
Delivering a speech in Sydney today, Mr Sims outlined how the recently legislated changes to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA), especially s46, help the ACCC protect the competitive process by allowing firms, big and small, to compete on their merits.