Australian Competition and Consumer Commission promotes ‘anti-scam boss’ to top job
Australia’s consumer watchdog has selected a new chief to run the organisation as it promises to maintain scrutiny on the major supermarkets and step up the pressure on faux discounts.
Sarah Proudfoot has been acting chief executive of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission since February and on Monday was made permanent.
ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said the incoming CEO had consistently proved to be an “outstanding strategic leader” and had a strong commitment to public service.
“I am confident that with Sarah’s contribution as CEO leading our capable people, our agency will continue to deliver important outcomes for the Australian economy and community,” she said.
Ms Proudfoot had been leading the watchdog’s national anti-scam centre since last August before she was shifted to an acting CEO role.
The ACCC promised earlier this year there would be no let-up of its scrutiny of the major supermarkets after handing down a 441-page report on the sector as commissioned by the Federal Government.
Coles and Woolworths came under significant pressure for their pricing practices as customers faced increasingly larger bills for their groceries.
To tackle complaints of ‘shrinkflation’, the ACCC recommended that supermarkets be forced to display when a product had changed in size.
Misleading price practices, where businesses advertise a certain discount but do not deliver, will also be the watchdog’s hit list for 2025 and 2026, as well as tackling “subscription traps”.
The ACCC is also ushering in big changes to Australian takeover laws that will come into effect in 2026.
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