The ACCC has conducted a sweep of sales advertising by Australian businesses online and in store and is concerned that a number of claims about the size and scope of discounts may be misleading consumers.

ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe says their sweep of Black Friday sales advertisements has uncovered a range of concerning practices, from ‘site wide’ discounts that are not in fact site wide, potentially misleading ‘was/now’ pricing, as well as dubious claims about the value of discounts on offer, and are now considering further investigations and actions.

Ms Lowe says in the meantime, they’re warning retailers ahead of post-Christmas sales that they must comply with Australian Consumer Law in all the claims they make.

The ACCC suggest consumers should examine claims about discounts or savings made by businesses carefully, particularly during any sales period and look out for any disclaimers or qualifications.