Footy clubs given red card for misleading fans over merchandise refunds
The consumer umpire has sent almost two dozen of Australia's biggest football clubs to the sin bin for lying to their fans who wanted refunds for faulty team jumpers and other merchandise.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said 21 AFL and NRL clubs had now changed their return and refund policies.
The clubs had been making a number of claims the ACCC found to be misleading, including that faulty items could be refunded only if they were unworn, purchased at full price or returned within a specific time frame.
Some fans were told they needed a receipt to get a refund, which is not the case under Australian consumer law.
“If football fans buy a piece of merchandise that has a major failure, they are entitled to a choice of a refund or replacement,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said on Thursday.
“We found that each club’s statements claimed consumers were only entitled to a remedy in very specific circumstances, when in fact consumers may be entitled to a remedy in many more situations.
“If football fans buy a piece of merchandise that has a major failure, they are entitled to a choice of a refund or replacement."
The AFL clubs pulled into line are:
- Carlton
- Collingwood
- Essendon
- Fremantle
- Geelong
- Hawthorn
- Melbourne
- Richmond
- Sydney Swans
And from the NRL:
- Brisbane Broncos
- Canterbury-Bankstown
- Cronulla Sutherland
- Eastern Suburbs
- Manly Warringah
- Melbourne Storm
- Newcastle
- Parramatta Eels
- South Sydney
- St George Illawarra
- Titans
- Wests Tigers