The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has confirmed that misleading limited-time representations that create a false sense of urgency for consumers, false ‘site-wide’ or ‘store-wide’ claims about sales, and deceptive claims of ‘up to X% off’, will be key targets.
ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said consumers should be wary of broad claims about discounts or savings during Black Friday and mindful of any disclaimers or conditions in advertisements.
“We are putting retailers on notice to review their sales advertising practices to ensure that any sales or discount claims they make are accurate, clear, and not likely to mislead or deceive consumers,” Lowe said.
“Misleading advertising may influence a consumer’s behaviour and impact their ability to make an informed purchasing decision during the sales.
“We will pay special attention to retailers who were identified as having problematic sales practices in the sweep we conducted during last year’s Black Friday and Boxing Day sales and expect to see improved compliance across the retail sector.”
During last year’s Black Friday sales period, three retailers were issued penalties for allegedly making false and misleading representations, including Michael Hill International.
Lowe added: “Consumers shopping during the Black Friday sales are encouraged to report promotions or ads that raise concerns to the ACCC, including images of the potential misconduct.”
Homewares retailer GRBA and Hairhouse Warehouse were also issued with infringement notices during last year’s ACCC sweep.
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