Priorities include deceptive marketing practices in the digital economy.

 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued its priority ‘hit list’ for compliance and enforcement in 2022/23.

 

A key fair trading priority for the consumer watchdog will be manipulative or deceptive advertising and marketing practices in the digital economy.

 

The ACCC will also focus its attention on environmental claims and sustainability, and disruptions to global and domestic supply chains.

 

In the annual Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA) address in Sydney, ACCC chairperson Rod Sims (pictured) said: “Consumers are facing a growing number of manipulative techniques to exploit or pressure them, and other practices that seek to distort or disregard their consumer choice in the digital economy

 

The manipulative techniques include false scarcity reminders such as low-stock warnings, false sales countdown timers, targeted advertising using a consumers’ own data to exploit their individual characteristics, pre-selected add-ons, and design interfaces that discourage unsubscribing.

 

Other practices of concern include manipulation of online reviews and search results, and comparison websites and social media influencers who don’t disclose commercial relationships including paid promotions.

 

Competition issues in global and domestic supply chains, particularly where they are disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, will be a new competition priority for the ACCC.

 

“The importance of effective and competitive supply chains has been more evident than ever during the pandemic,” Sims said.