Australia: Issued Federal Court ruling in ACCC lawsuit against Airbnb for misleading pricing practices

On 20 December 2023, the Federal Court of Australia ordered Airbnb Ireland UC (Airbnb) to pay AUD 15 million in penalties and offer up to AUD 15 million in compensation to eligible consumers. The ruling came after Airbnb admitted to misleading Australian users about the currency of prices on its accommodation platform between January 2018 and August 2021, following the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) lawsuit. Approximately 70’000 consumers were affected as prices for Australian accommodation were displayed in USD without clear indication, leading to higher charges than expected. The Court's decision followed over 2’000 complaints from Australian consumers. Airbnb has since amended its platform to specify prices in USD and has been ordered to establish and maintain an Australian Consumer Law compliance program.