Display prices

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regulates how to display prices within your business. You must be clear, accurate and not mislead consumers.

2 ways to comply with Australian Consumer Law (ACL) include:

• showing the total price
• accurately displaying comparisons.

Show the total price

If you display or advertise prices, always include the total price. The total price must include all charges, taxes, duties, levies or fees (such as goods and services tax or airport tax). It doesn’t need to include optional charges such as delivery fees.

If you display or advertise a price that is only part of the total price (for example, a price which doesn't include additional charges such as delivery or booking fees), the total price (as a single figure) must be as noticeable as the 'part price'.

If you have a restaurant and charge a surcharge on certain days, you don’t need to provide a separate menu or price list. But your menu must include the words 'a surcharge of [percentage] applies on [the specified day or days]'.

Accurately display comparisons

If you compare prices in your advertising to attract customers with possible savings, don’t mislead them.

For example, if you're having a sale, you might compare the sale price of your product or service to:

• the previous higher price
• a competitor's price
• the recommended retail price (RRP).

You may be misleading your customers if:

• your product or service was not sold at the previous higher price for a 'reasonable period' before your sale
• you compare your price to the price of a competitor who is in a different area or country
• the product or service on sale has never been sold at the RRP.

What's considered a 'reasonable period' will vary in each case. But if you can't show sales at the previous higher price for a reasonable period, then it's likely you're misleading your customers.