The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched a guide for businesses on carbon price claims while warning that the Commission would not shy away from pursuing suspected price gougers.

 

The Carbon Price Claims guide for business is intended to provide initial assistance to businesses preparing for the implementation of the Carbon Pricing Mechanism.

 

"The ACCC is launching this guide to assist business in understanding their rights and obligations when making claims about the impact of a carbon price,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. 

"Business costs increase all the time, and businesses are free to set their own prices.  However, if a business chooses to raise their prices they should not misrepresent this as a result of the carbon price when it is not the case.”

 

"If a business raises its prices and says the increase is a result of carbon pricing, or even partly the result of carbon pricing, it must ensure that what it says about the price increase is true," Mr Sims said.

 

“We’ll be consulting on our guidance as we go, over the next few months, and adjusting it to address questions and issues as they become apparent, including on industry or sector-specific subjects.”