Black Friday ‘rip offs’
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is cracking down on misleading and deceptive sales tactics following a sweep of Black Friday promotions across November.
By Tiahna Cassar
The consumer watchdog estimates that around six million Australians spent $39 billion during the 2025 Black Friday sales period, making transparency in pricing more critical than ever.
The ACCC’s “Black Friday sales sweep” aimed to identify misleading or deceptive advertising practices. While results have not yet been released, retailers found to have breached the law may face enforcement action. The warning remains relevant as we head into the Christmas and Boxing Day sales.
The ACCC’s sweep focused on a range of conduct, including without limitation:
Misrepresenting the length of sales - for example, using phrases like “3 days only” or countdown timers that do not reflect the actual sale period.
Advertising store-wide or site-wide discounts when certain products are excluded.
Relying on fine print or disclaimers to qualify bold headline sale claims.
Using “up to X% off” phrasing in marketing where the “up to” qualifier is not clearly visible.
Presenting inaccurate “was/now” or strike-through pricing that misleads consumers about genuine savings.
One retailer under scrutiny is Officeworks and its pricing of a 27-inch Samsung curved desktop monitor. The monitor was sold for $188 until November 14 - below its “everyday price” of $267. On November 14, the price reverted to $267, only to drop to $218 on November 17, and then back to $188 during the Black Friday sale. This raised concerns about whether the advertised discounts were genuine.
The matter was referred to the ACCC by a consumer complaint. The ACCC has warned that price changes that misrepresent discounts may breach Australian Consumer Law, potentially leading to enforcement action and penalties. A spokesperson noted that “‘Sale’ or ‘special’ prices can be misleading if the sale price is actually the normal price.”
After being approached for comment, Officeworks readjusted the price to $267. This case is just one example among many allegedly deceptive deals promoted during the month-long global sales period.
Click the following links to learn more:
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-puts-retailers-on-notice-ahead-of-black-friday-sweep