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Consumer Express | October 2024 Edition

In our tenth edition of Consumer Express we consider the hot topics facing our consumer clients, including the right to disconnect and what it really means, the first tranche of the new privacy reforms and how to prepare for what’s coming, helpful tips on structuring trade promotions, as well as AI washing. Our regulators have […]

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FMCG Express | March 2024 Edition

In this edition of FMCG Express we consider the regulatory landscape of AI, what to do when you receive a (potentially) defamatory online review, recent Fair Work Act changes (particularly how these changes affect casual workers), and we consider specifics around ESG reporting. Partner Breanna Davies and the Gadens team have prepared this edition to […]

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Influencer compliance with advertising obligations fails to impress

Earlier this year the Australian Competition Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) conducted a sweep of social media platforms to understand how advertising was conducted in social media posts. An alarming 81% of influencers reviewed had made posts that did not wholly comply with the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).[1] Every sector ‘swept’ contained non-compliant posts, with the highest […]

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Consumer gains – The regulation of sports supplement pills

Consumers of sports supplements stand to gain from increased oversight of sports supplements in medicinal dosage form through regulation of such supplements as therapeutic goods (ie medicines). The sports supplement industry has been regulated for some time now. For instance, oral sports supplements that contain certain high-risk substances, and claim to improve or maintain performance […]

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Defamation – what is required to establish ‘serious harm’?

The Federal Court of Australia recently handed down a decision in Selkirk v Hocking (No 2)[1] shedding light on the serious harm element of the cause of action for defamation. Background In November 2019, Ms Selkirk was convicted of multiple counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception by using falsified receipts to return goods […]

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FMCG Express | September 2023 Edition

In this edition of FMCG Express we consider the practicalities of implementing UCT regime required changes, recent ACCC enforcement activity and consider what risks ‘greenwashing’ can pose for our clients. We also touch on employer obligations regarding psychosocial safety and hazards, the Retail Award and other legislative changes. Partner Breanna Davies and the Gadens team […]

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Fake news? – ACMA to receive new powers to hold digital platforms to account

The Australian Government has set its sights on combatting the growing trend of misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms, including social media channels, with the release of the draft Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023 (Draft Bill) last Sunday. If implemented as proposed, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) would be […]

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The decision is clear – the AAT confirms that the Privacy Act applies to Clearview AI’s conduct

As briefly noted in our Gadens Regulatory Recap on 30 May 2023, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has recently handed down its decision regarding the conduct of Clearview AI Inc (Clearview AI), confirming the applicability of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) to the conduct of entities overseas, and recent amendments to the Privacy […]

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Senate to shine spotlight on concerning greenwashing behaviour

On 29 March 2023, the Senate announced a landmark inquiry into the practice of greenwashing in Australia, with its final report due for publication by 5 December 2023. This development echoes growing concerns both in Australia and globally regarding greenwashing by businesses across a range of sectors, including the making of vague, false or misleading […]

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FMCG Express | March 2023 Edition

The latest edition of FMCG Express goes straight to the heart of legal issues affecting corporate Australia in 2023; reforms to unfair contracts legislation; changes to the Fair Work Act; privacy law amendments; and cyber and data security. Partner Breanna Davies and the Gadens team of contributors are at the forefront of the analysis of […]

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ACCC internet sweep uncovers concerning environmental and sustainability claims

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has completed its anticipated internet sweep following clear messaging last year that the regulator would crackdown on misleading environmental claims. More than half of the businesses that were subject to the ACCC’s internet sweep in October 2022 were considered to have made concerning misleading claims about their environmental […]

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Regulatory action for greenwashing is upon us

Last week, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) commenced civil penalty proceedings for alleged greenwashing against Mercer Superannuation (Australia) Limited (Mercer). This is in addition to ASIC having issued penalty notices to at least four companies for alleged greenwashing, since October 2022. Last year, ASIC identified investigating greenwashing and taking enforcement action where greenwashing […]

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