Permanent Ban on Baby Bottle Self-Feeding Devices Now in Effect
Australia has enacted a permanent ban on baby bottle self‑feeding devices, making it illegal to supply, manufacture, possess, or advertise these products. The ban targets items that allow infants to feed without adult supervision, such as bottle‑propping stands, body‑worn holders, and straw‑style feeders, due to choking, aspiration and suffocation risks. It follows a 2024 Safety Warning Notice and an ACCC investigation that consulted paediatric experts and industry stakeholders. Non‑compliance can result in significant penalties under consumer‑safety legislation.
Court Finds that Coles Misled Customers over 'Down Down' Claims
The Federal Court ruled that Coles Supermarkets misled shoppers with its “Down Down” discount claims, finding false representations in 13 of 14 examined tickets. The ACCC alleges Coles raised prices by at least 15% before applying the promotion, keeping the...
Bedding Supplier Emma Sleep to Pay a Total of $15m in Penalties for Misleading Statements About Sale Prices
The Federal Court ordered Emma Sleep Pty Ltd and its Southeast Asia affiliate to pay a combined $15 million AUD (≈ $9.9 million USD) in penalties for false and misleading price representations. The company advertised 74 products with inflated "original" prices, bogus discount...
Rising Contacts Raise Concerns About Electronics and Whitegoods Sector Compliance with Consumer Guarantee Rights
Consumer guarantee complaints to the ACCC jumped 20% in 2025, topping 38,000 cases, with roughly 70% involving electronics and whitegoods. The sector generated the most reports, prompting the regulator to flag compliance as a 2025/26 priority. The government is moving...
ACCC Granted Leave to Intervene in Epic v Apple Proceedings
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been granted leave by the Federal Court to intervene in the Epic Games v Apple relief hearing. The court previously found Apple misused its market power by blocking alternative app stores and...
IAG's Acquisition of RAC Insurance Requires Phase 2 Review
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has moved Insurance Australia Group's (IAG) proposed purchase of RAC Insurance into a Phase 2 review, citing a substantial lessening of competition in Western Australia’s motor and home‑contents insurance markets. IAG would underwrite these...
ACCC Investigating Retailers Making Concerning Black Friday Claims
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is probing several retailers after its 2025 Black Friday sweep found that roughly half of the 50 examined retailers used misleading tactics, such as inaccurate countdown timers and overstated site‑wide discounts. The investigation...
New Merger Control Regime Off to Positive Start
Australia’s revamped merger control regime launched on 1 January 2026 and is already delivering on its speed commitments. In the first three months the ACCC received 50 merger notifications and 108 waiver applications, approving 39 notifications in Phase 1 and granting 70 waivers....
ACCC Monitors Fuel Excise Cut, Fuel Surcharges and Fuel Price Movements
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ordered fuel retailers to pass on the latest federal fuel excise reduction of about 5.7 Australian cents per litre (≈3.8 US cents) as quickly as possible. This follows an earlier 26.3‑cent cut...
ACCC Decides MicroStar’s Acquisition of Konvoy Requires Phase 2 Review
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has moved MicroStar Logistics’ purchase of Konvoy Holdings’ keg‑pooling assets into a Phase 2 review, citing a risk of substantially lessening competition. MicroStar, operating as Kegstar, and Konvoy are the only two providers of...
NBN Delivers Steady Performance, but some Consumers Missing Out on Full Plan Speeds
The ACCC’s latest Measuring Broadband Australia report shows that most Australian households on NBN fixed‑line services achieved 98.5% of their advertised plan speeds during peak evening hours in December 2025. The newly introduced NBN Home Fast plan (500/50 Mbps) delivered an...
Storage Vital to Meeting Winter Demand Across East Coast Gas Market in Q3 2026
Australia’s east‑coast gas market is projected to face tight supply conditions during the winter months of Q3 2026, according to the ACCC’s interim gas inquiry report. The balance could swing between a 12 PJ shortfall and a 3 PJ surplus, largely dependent on...
Service Quality and Consumer Protections to Improve in Proposed Changes to NBN Regulation
The ACCC released a draft determination that will set NBN Co’s regulatory framework from 1 July 2026, proposing lower capital spending, reduced weighted‑average cost of capital, and tighter benchmark service standards. It also upgrades the entry‑level broadband offering to a 25 Mbps download/10 Mbps...
OPSM and Laubman & Pank Franchisor Pays Penalty for Alleged Breach of Franchising Code
Luxottica Franchising Australia, the operator of OPSM and Laubman & Pank, paid a $19,800 AUD penalty (approximately $13,000 USD) after the ACCC issued an infringement notice for failing to keep its Franchise Disclosure Register profile current. The breach violated the...
Diesel Prices Rising Faster than Petrol, up 28 Cpl Across the Largest Cities in Last Week
Retail diesel prices jumped 10% in the week to 25 March, rising 27.8 cents per litre to 303.5 cpl across Australia’s five largest cities, while petrol increased 8% to 252.2 cpl. The surge mirrors a 17% rise in the Singapore Gasoil 10 ppm benchmark, compared...