Know the real value of sale time bling

Minister for Fair Trading Margaret Keech has put jewellery traders on notice over advertising for their stocktake sales following a blitz on the jewellery industry.

Mrs Keech said mid-year sales could be tempting, because of the advertised price cuts.

“These sales may seem the best time to splurge on jewellery, but we need to be sure the advertised bargains are real savings,” Mrs Keech said.

“The Office of Fair Trading is monitoring advertising material from jewellery retailers across Queensland to ensure claimed discounts are true savings for shoppers.

“Fair Trading investigators are concentrating on two-price advertising, such as 'was $150/now $100'.

“The concern is the item on sale may never have been sold at the claimed higher price.”

Mrs Keech said under the Fair Trading Act 1989, it is illegal for someone to make false claims or misrepresent a product or price savings.

“Anyone caught doing this can face fines of up to $40,500 for an individual and $202,500 for a corporation,” she said.

“Fair trading investigators have collected advertising material from jewellery stores around Queensland in a five-day blitz on the jewellery industry.

“I am confident the majority of Queensland retailers are advertising real savings, but any caught misleading consumers will be punished.”

Mrs Keech said the Office of Fair Trading investigations were part of a national campaign coordinated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

“Protecting consumers from false advertising at sale time is an issue fair trading agencies around Australia take very seriously,” she said.

“Shoppers have a right to know they are not being tricked into overspending.

“In 2006, the Office of Fair Trading received 55 complaints about jewellery - four of these related to advertising.

“If you believe someone is advertising false savings or misrepresenting their prices, keep a copy of the advertisement and report it immediately to the Office of Fair Trading.”

To make a complaint, visit www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or phone 13 13 04.

For more information on your rights and responsibilities as a consumer, download a free copy of How to be Consumerwise from the website or phone 13 13 04.

Media contact: Joanna Whitaker 3224 2005 or Carolyn Folland 3119 0075