Petrol prices in December 2018 fall significantly
Petrol prices in Australia’s five largest cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) fell sharply at the end of last year, hitting lows not seen since August 2017.
Business
ACCC to focus on franchisors' disclosure in the food services sector
Café, restaurant and take away food services industries will be the target of the ACCC’s next round of Franchising Code compliance checks.
The ACCC has responsibility for regulating the Franchising Code of Conduct in Australia, which includes conducting an active compliance check program.
“The ACCC receives more franchising code related reports from café, restaurant and take-away food franchisees than any other sector, and for this reason franchisors operating in this sector will be the target of our next round of checks” Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
A million airbags still to be replaced
Australia’s largest ever recall is nearly two thirds progressed with 2.8 million faulty Takata airbags replaced with around 1 million still outstanding.
More than 70 per cent of all affected airbag inflators have been replaced nationally since the Federal Government put manufacturers on notice in February last year.
“Despite good progress, both motorists and car manufacturers shouldn’t become complacent,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
“If you receive a letter or call from your car’s manufacturer, don’t delay or ignore it.”
ACCC releases preliminary report into Google, Facebook and Australian news and advertising
With Google and Facebook transforming the way consumers communicate, access news and view advertising online, it is critical that governments and regulators consider the potential issues created by the concentration of market power and the broader impacts of digital platforms.
The preliminary report, published today, contains 11 preliminary recommendations and eight areas for further analysis as the inquiry continues.
First interim report
We released our first interim report setting out our findings about the operation of markets for home, contents and strata insurance markets in northern Australia.
Court rules fish oil capsules not ‘Made in Australia'
The Federal Court has ruled that the encapsulation in Australia of imported fish oil and Vitamin D by Nature's Care Manufacture Pty Ltd (Nature’s Care) would not permit the capsules to be labelled ‘Made in Australia’ under the Australian Consumer Law’s (ACL) Country of Origin labelling provisions.
“The ACCC is pleased that the approach of the Federal Court is consistent with the guidance the ACCC has given industry about country of origin labelling,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
Address to the 2018 Annual RBB Economics Conference
ACCC Chair Rod Sims addresses the RBB Economics Conference regarding the economic foundations of competition law, including the history of competition law, recent challenges to the consumer welfare standard, and the hipster antitrust movement.
Preliminary report
In December 2018, the ACCC released its preliminary report for the inquiry, following the report being provided to the Treasurer. Submissions in response to the preliminary report will close on 15 February 2019.
ACCC commissioned research
The ACCC commissioned the following research to inform its analysis.