Unpacking the ACCC’s 2026-29 Strategy and the regulator’s priorities for the year ahead
The ACCC’s 2026–2029 Strategy (Strategy) reflects the regulator’s growing willingness to connect consumer protection with broader competition and productivity priorities, particularly in response to the mounting cost-of-living pressures and digital disruption impacting the economy.
At a high level, the ACCC’s three-year strategy is organised around four objectives:
protecting Australians from harmful products and practices,
championing stronger competition,
delivering benefits through “right-sized” regulation; and
improving how the ACCC works.
The fourth objective is particularly notable because it suggests that, moving forward, the ACCC is not only identifying enforcement priorities (as it generally does, annually) but making proactive plans to invest in its own effectiveness as a regulator.
In addition to the 2026-2029 Strategy, the ACCC has released its annual Compliance and Enforcement Priorities for 2026-27 (Priorities), which are contextualised by the ACCC Chair’s update address, which was delivered on 19 February 2026 (Chair’s Address).
In comparison with 2025-2026, the ACCC’s 2026–27 Priorities appears more evolutionary than revolutionary, but there are still some notable shifts in emphasis.
In particular, the ACCC has sharpened its digital focus by splitting last year’s broader “digital economy” priority into two distinct foci: one aimed at manipulative practices and unsafe goods in digital markets, and another towards promoting competition.
The ACCC has also shifted its consumer guarantees focus for the coming year from consumer electronics to motor vehicles, while some 2025–26 stand-alone priorities, including misleading surcharging practices and compliance by NDIS providers with the Australian Consumer Law, no longer appear as headline items.
Supermarkets, retail and pricing practices
The ACCC has made clear that supermarkets and retail will remain central to its work in the coming financial year, reflecting the direct connection between those sectors and household cost-of-living pressures. Although, the regulator’s focus in this sector is not confined to headline pricing, it also extends to competition issues related to the misuse of market power, restrictions on price competition, and misleading pricing conduct that undermines consumer trust.
Businesses operating in or alongside the retail sector should take note that the ACCC’s focus this year is broader than supermarkets alone. Pricing representations, discount or promotional mechanisms, platform or supply-chain restrictions, and any conduct that weakens consumers’ ability to make informed choices will likely remain under close scrutiny.
Essential services
The ACCC Strategy indicates that the regulator will sustain its attention on essential services, especially in respect of telecommunications and energy. The Chair’s Address emphasised that this focus will be twofold:
promoting competition; and
addressing misleading pricing and claims.
In other words, the ACCC is likely to be concerned not only with whether prices are high, but with whether pricing structures, disclosures and incentives impair effective consumer choice.
Aviation
Aviation continues to be another sector of concern for the ACCC, carrying over from 2025-26. The Chair’s Address about these priorities that the industry remains highly concentrated, with significant barriers to entry and limited consumer choice.
As such, the ACCC is determined to play an active role in protecting consumer interests in the aviation sector and will continue market monitoring, advocacy and enforcement activity where it considers competition or consumer outcomes may be jeopardised.
Digital markets
As referenced above, digital markets have assumed increasing prominence in the ACCC’s agenda over recent years.
The Chair’s Address identifies subscription traps and so-called “dark patterns” where user interfaces are designed to confuse or manipulate, as examples of conduct that unfairly influence consumer decision-making.
At the same time, the ACCC also maintains its longer-term focus on digital platform competition, including its support for a proactive regulatory framework that is designed to prevent anti-competitive behaviour by dominant tech platforms. This stance is significant in promoting systemic reform.
Businesses operating digital interfaces, subscription models or online marketplaces should assume that both design choices and platform governance settings may be relevant to ACCC scrutiny, particularly in relation to scams, competition and transparency for consumers.
Greenwashing
Dubious environmental and sustainability claims remain a live enforcement priority, particularly where representations may amount to “greenwashing”.
The ACCC’s continued interest in allegedly misleading environmental claims has already translated into proceedings against several businesses and firms should ensure that all sustainability claims are substantiated.
Cancellation practices and consumer guarantees
The ACCC is also placing emphasis on unfair contract terms, harmful cancellation practices and consumer guarantees, while singling out the motor vehicle industry as being particular focus in the coming financial year. Although the ACCC’s sector-specific emphasis matters, particularly for car dealers, the broader language around cancellation practices is likely to have implications well beyond the automotive space.
Product safety and scams
Product safety remains an ACCC priority in 2026-27, especially where young children are concerned or where unsafe products are sold through digital channels.
The ACCC’s concern is no longer confined to traditional bricks-and-mortar retail settings, online marketplaces and digital sellers are clearly within scope, particularly in respect of products identified in the Chair’s Address such as button batteries, infant sleep products and toppling furniture.
Recent publications also highlight that the ACCC taking on a broader coordinating role in respect of scams under the Scams Prevention Framework. This Framework requires banks, certain digital platforms and telecommunications providers to proactively detect, report, and disrupt scams, or face significant penalties. This has important implications for designated businesses, who may increasingly be judged not only on isolated incidents but on the adequacy of their systems, controls and cross-sector responses.
Key takeaways
Taken together with other ACCC publications, the ACCC’s 2026–2029 Strategy signals that the ACCC is looking beyond mere technical compliance to try and build a stronger culture of compliance in the Australian economy.
Businesses should be aware that:
The ACCC is focusing on market behaviour, not just black-letter breaches which may impact those with behaviour the ACCC considers questionable if the unfair practices bill is introduced as a further law to protect consumers.
Digital practices are now a central enforcement risk, especially where design features may mislead, pressure or trap consumers.
Pricing, discounting, cancellation and subscription settings remain key areas of concern.
Green claims and product safety controls must be supported by strong substantiation and governance.
Businesses in retail, essential services, aviation and motor vehicles should expect particularly close attention, but the broader compliance themes will still apply across all sectors.
The ACCC’ is investing in aiming to be a more nimble and effective regulator.
Alicia Hill
Principal
T: +61 3 9611 0180 | M: +61 484 313 865
E:ahill@sladen.com.au
This article was prepared with the assistance of Ben Ponte, Law Clerk.
