Australia: Issued ruling in ACCC lawsuit against Bloomex concerning fair marketing and advertising practices

On 15 March 2024, the Australian Federal Court issued its ruling in the lawsuit brought forward by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The Court ordered Bloomex, an online florist and gift retailer, to pay AUD 1 million in penalties for breaching the Australian Consumer Law. Bloomex admitted to publishing misleading star ratings for its products, advertising products at a discount when they had not generally sold products at the 'strikethrough price', and adding surcharges that were inadequately disclosed. The ACCC Commissioner stated that Bloomex misled consumers about the quality and price of its products for a long time. The court also imposed injunctions ordering Bloomex to establish a compliance program and pay the ACCC's costs.