Under Australian competition and consumer laws, small businesses have a number of obligations when dealing with their customers and other businesses. Small businesses also have certain rights and protections under the law.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released a free online education program for small businesses to help you learn about your rights and obligations under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (CCA).
The program is a simple, interactive learning resource which provides a broad overview of the key provisions of the CCA. It includes 10 modules covering topics such as pricing, advertising, consumer rights, selling safe products, unlawful competition and scams. Each module should take about 15–20 minutes to complete and you don’t have to do them all—you can select the ones most relevant to your business operations. Most of the modules include a short self-assessment quiz where you can test your understanding of the topic.
“The ACCC is committed to helping businesses understand their rights and responsibilities under the CCA. We recognise that small business operators are busy running their businesses, and need simple, clear information which can be accessed at any time, at their own pace”, says ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper. “I strongly encourage small businesses to take advantage of this free, easy-to-use online education program to ensure they are aware of all the protections and obligations they have.”
The free online education program for small business is available at www.ccaeducationprograms.org.
