Australians spend $300b on retail and need an ombudsman, says Consumer Action Law Centre

Source: www.smh.com.au

Australia should establish a Retail Ombudsman to “freely, quickly and fairly” resolve disputes between “ordinary Australians” and retailers, the Consumer Action Law Centre says. The centre provides legal advice and financial counselling for disadvantaged people. Acting CEO Denise Boyd said an external dispute resolution scheme for disputes over goods and services bought instore or online in Australia would give people “certainty and justice in their consumer interactions and build trust in our retail markets.” Australians spend about $300 billion a year with retailers. Retail is the country’s biggest private sector employer, accounting for about 10 per cent of the workforce, according to Bureau of Statistics figures. Ms Boyd said polling indicated 60 per cent of Australian would use a retail ombudsman if available. She also noted that more than 20,000 shoppers complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about consumer guarantees in 2016, despite the ACCC being unable to take action on their behalf.