Australians are tipped to spend bigger than ever over the Black Friday weekend as the consumer watchdog issues retailers a stark warning.
The period between November 27 and 30 is forecast to net retailers $7.2 billion, according to the Australian Retail Council.
It would mark a 5.5 per cent lift on 2025 sales despite ongoing cost-of-living concerns.
Individual shoppers are expected to part with $920 on average over the period.
Council chief executive Chris Rodwell said Australians were increasingly using the sales period to stock up on Christmas gifts, with lower prices a key driver.
A snap SMS survey of 7654 Australians found one in four were most motivated by starting Christmas shopping early with many looking to buy clothing, footwear and accessories.
Technology and household goods were also high on the wish list.
Mr Rodwell urged consumers to back local companies through the holiday season.
“Be careful about who you’re choosing to purchase from,” he said.
“Ideally, you’re choosing an Australian retailer that supports jobs, that supports investment in this country, not one of the ultra-cheap offshore platforms.”
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warned retailers it was on the lookout for misleading advertisements.
“Sitewide” and “storewide” claims where a large number of products are excluded from the sale will be the watchdog’s chief focus.
The ACCC will also examine countdown offers which continue beyond the stated end date, misleading testimonials and scarcity messaging.
The compliance sweep will examine practices across multiple channels including websites and social media.
Customers should be able to trust advertising, ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.
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