Competition, Consumer & Regulatory
Have confidence that your business complies with competition, consumer and other regulations
Consumer and competition protections cut across many different areas of a company’s operations. And it can be very costly to get wrong.
Our lawyers can help you to have confidence that your operations comply.
Protect your company from regulatory action or a consumer complaint.
Your consumers have certain protections and guarantees under legislation – our lawyers can help you meet them.
We can also help you with other regulatory issues, such as a liquor or gambling permit.
Six occasions when you need to consider consumer and competition laws:
When you are embarking on a new enterprise
The wording on a product label, in a marketing campaign or in the information surrounding online transactions needs to be carefully chosen to avoid breaching either consumer or competition protections. If you’re starting a new enterprise, invite our lawyers onto the project team.
When you’re using standard form contracts
The Australian Consumer Law has provisions protecting consumers against unfair contract terms in standard form contracts – that is, those which are offered generally to multiple consumers. Our lawyers can assist you to ensure that your standard form contract complies.
When you’re running a competition or other trade promotion
State and territory governments each have their own set of rules governing the operation of a competition, lottery or other trade promotion. You may need to apply for a permit or authority in some of those jurisdictions. We can assist with this.
When you’re looking to merge with or acquire another company
Protections in place to preserve competition, applicable in each jurisdiction you do business in, need to be examined before finalising any merger or acquisition transaction. Our lawyers can also advise you on professional licences or authorities your staff may need for any new jurisdiction.
If you care about your reputation
Apart from falling foul of regulations, misleading marketing or anti-competitive conduct leads to people thinking poorly of your business. Remember that criticism travels faster than praise!
When you’re starting out
As with all things in commercial law, consulting your legal team early will mean that you commence with compliant arrangements and will save time and money down the track.
Our team can assist you across all areas of consumer and competition law, including:
- Mergers and acquisitions, including seeking ACCC authorisations
- Misleading and deceptive conduct, consumer protection and unconscionability issues
- Review of words for your website, labelling and other representations
- Preparation of wording for consumer warranties, returns and exchange policies
- Preparing compliant standard form contracts
- ACCC investigations, enforcement proceedings and litigation
- Preparing submissions to government and regulatory reviews