Practical resources to help your business stay compliant.

The new unfair trading reforms do not commence until 1 July 2027, but businesses should be reviewing their customer journeys now.

These significant Australian Consumer Law changes will require organisations to think beyond whether their advertising is technically accurate and assess the fairness of the entire customer experience - from marketing and website design through to checkout, customer service and cancellation processes. 

Our 🕒 5-minute read read explains what the new prohibition means, identifies the website features and customer journey practices most likely to attract regulatory attention, and outlines practical steps your business can take now to prepare. Businesses that start reviewing their customer journeys early will be in a much stronger position when the reforms commence.

The new Australian Consumer Law subscription requirements do not commence until 1 July 2027, but retailers should be reviewing their subscription and recurring payment arrangements now.

The reforms will require businesses to look beyond their written terms and assess the entire subscription journey - from advertising and sign-up through to free-trial conversion, ongoing payments, automatic renewal and cancellation. Customers must understand what they are agreeing to, how much and how often they will be charged, and how they can end the arrangement.

Our 🕒 5-minute read explains which subscriptions, memberships and recurring payment arrangements are covered, why the law is changing and what retailers should review now. Businesses that identify unclear disclosures, automatic-renewal risks and unnecessary cancellation barriers early will be better prepared when the new requirements commence.

The Federal Court’s decision in ACCC v Coles does not create a mandatory 12-week pricing rule, but it is an important reminder that advertised savings must be genuine.

When using ‘Was/Now’, strike-through or other comparative pricing, retailers must be able to substantiate that the higher price was a genuine previous selling price offered for a reasonable period. What is reasonable will depend on the product, the retailer’s pricing practices and the circumstances of the promotion.

Our 🕒 5-minute read explains what the Coles decision means, why the Court found most of the ‘Down Down’ price representations misleading, and the practical steps retailers should take before advertising price reductions. Businesses should review their pricing history, promotional processes and evidence now rather than relying on a fixed timeframe or informal rule of thumb.

The New Zealand Modern Slavery Bill is not yet law and may change as it progresses through Parliament, but Australian businesses with New Zealand operations should be assessing their potential exposure now.

The proposed regime goes beyond Australia’s current modern slavery reporting requirements. Businesses may need to review their complete corporate structure and responsible sourcing program - including New Zealand entities, Australian parent companies, supply-chain due diligence, complaints and remediation processes, employee and supplier training, worker consultation and reporting systems.

Our 🕒 10-minute read explains which Australian businesses may be covered, compares the proposed New Zealand and existing Australian requirements, and outlines practical steps businesses can take now. Organisations that identify their reporting entities and address gaps in their evidence and due-diligence systems early will be much better prepared if the Bill becomes law.

The Australian Government has announced proposed reforms that would introduce a new criminal offence and civil penalties for certain businesses that fail to prevent modern slavery in their operations or supply chains, together with stronger enforcement powers under the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (Cth). 

While the reforms are not yet law, they signal a significant shift from simply reporting modern slavery risks to demonstrating the practical steps taken to prevent them.  Our latest article explains what has been proposed, why retailers should be paying attention, and the practical actions businesses can start taking now to strengthen their compliance programs.

🕒 Essential 5-minute read