Legal advice
Consumer context

With social media becoming the most direct and constant form of advertising, and data being the new oil, the last decade has seen enormous change in the advertising and insights industry (also known as market research). Social media generates opportunities and challenges: publishers’ liability for user-generated content being just one example.

Technological changes including electrification, the Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles, offer exciting opportunities and new challenges. At the same time, environmental issues are bringing electric and hybrid vehicles to the fore. The Australian market is hyper-competitive, putting pressure on the traditional sales model.

The food, beverage and primary production industries are fast moving. Social and cultural change affects consumer behavior which has a direct impact on business models. Animal welfare and sustainable production considerations, for example, are increasingly influencing buyer decisions.

The franchising sector continues to be under scrutiny, with the industry regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), announcing that it will remain focused on ensuring that small businesses receive the protections of the competition and consumer laws and mandatory industry codes of conduct (which includes the Franchising Code of Conduct).

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the rise of online shopping, and in-store retail has shifted towards the experience economy. Mixed use concepts are more popular, as are private label goods. Online, social commerce and the use of AI for everything from guided discovery to adaptive home pages, is changing the experience for consumers.