Beer fraud - letter to ACCC

[earle]

I've been thinking about it and have come up with a couple of names for a campaign against the fraudulent activities of megaswill producers trying to pass off brewed under licence (BUL) as imports.

'No BUL' (although this could be misleading, as we're not against BUL but rather them being passed off as imported).

So my preferred name is 'Stop the BULshit'. Catchy I thought.

[scanman]

Why not just email Today Tonight, A current affair and all those other trashy current affairs shows, and they will go out, harass the breweries and a few local restuaunt owners, then annoy the ACCC as well. Then maybe something will be done about it.....

[Kevnlis]

Excellent idea, but I don't wanna be on one of those shows, do you?

A Yank complaining about Aussie beer probably would not go down too well with the public

[Iron-Haggis]

This is what happens when Coles and Woolworths take over all your bottle-o's.
You end up with less selection, higher prices and absolute shit service from 12 year old kids without a clue.

Anyone remember the film clip to the Cruel Sea's song No choice?
Where they are walking through a grocery store and all the products are the same thing with the label "No Choice"...

They are helping with you're choice when it comes to beer. Dan Murphys and 1st Choice both have a huge range of beers. Even their smaller ones are increasing their variety of beer.

[grunthos]

Don't hold out for much help from that Paper Tiger - the ACCC.

It is up to 'us' to not buy grey-imports unless we are happy to pay the list price for that foreign beer 'taste' even if it is made here.

I always check the label when I'm buying from Dan Murphy's etc and in restaurants I too usually go for Coopers or similar if I can.

Now having said that, don't get me started on pubs and short-measures...!
</rant>

[grunthos]

They are helping with you're choice when it comes to beer. Dan Murphys and 1st Choice both have a huge range of beers. Even their smaller ones are increasing their variety of beer.

BTW Dan Murphy's is part of Woolworths....

[Oliver]

A bloke from the ACCC rang me earlier this week to discuss my inquiry.

Here's a summary:

* The ACCC has elevated my email from an inquiry to a complaint.
* While mine is not the first such inquiry, they don't get a lot of them.
* The conduct I set out in my letter would be a contravention of federal law.
* If I ordered a beer that had been advertised (this includes placing it on a menu) as imported but was not, I have the right to a refund as the good (i.e. the beer) is not as it was advertised for sale (i.e. imported).
* As a result of my email, the ACCC is now monitoring the issue. Possible action as a result includes making contact with industry bodies to ensure their members are aware of their obligations under the law.

I also mentioned that I had begun this thread on the issue, and he said he would check it out.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Kevnlis]

Well done Oliver! I appreciate the update. I will keep an eye out in my area, but I do not often go to bottle shops or restaurants.

Is it possible to complain about the general wrongness of misleading the customer or do you have to complain about specific cases as they arrise?

[earle]

Yes well done Oliver. Did the bloke say anything about the small labeling of the products being misleading as well?

I'm going to look over my law texts over the break but I reckon if everyone from this board and the other homebrew/beer boards contacted the ACCC we could also get them to consider the labelling issue as well.

[scanman]

Well now the ACCC are onto it, I might as well email Today Tonight and get them onto it. I'll let them know about the ACCC investigating the issue.
I won't have to get onto the telle. They can get their own reporters onto it. It not a personal issue but somehting they like to jump on. Maybe some TV exposure to the issue will get some stronger action.

[scanman]

Well just got onto the today tonight site and filled out their submit a story section, explaining the situation ( I cheked the 'would you be willing to appear on Today Tonight' as NO).
I wonder now if it will make the TV?

[Iron-Haggis]

BTW Dan Murphy's is part of Woolworths....

That's exactly my point. And 1st Choice is part of Coles. The two biggest retailers have the two bottle shops that carry the most variety.

[Kevnlis]

BTW Dan Murphy's is part of Woolworths....

That's exactly my point. And 1st Choice is part of Coles. The two biggest retailers have the two bottle shops that carry the most variety.

More like the two biggest carry the variety that makes them the most money

[Pale_Ale]

Dan Murphy's offers a huge selection and without the chain there are many beers I would not have had the opportunity to try.

[KEG]

BTW Dan Murphy's is part of Woolworths....

That's exactly my point. And 1st Choice is part of Coles. The two biggest retailers have the two bottle shops that carry the most variety.

More like the two biggest carry the variety that makes them the most money

well what do you expect them to do? I agree with Pale_Ale - Dan Murphy's has an awesome selection - and i'm within shouting distance of four of em

[Kevnlis]

I was just pointing out that the only reason they do it is profit...

Which is of course good business practice...

[blandy]

Let's hope Dan Murphy's is making a profit, otherwise they'll close down and I won't have easy access to a reasonably large variety of beers and wines.

[Throsby]

Good work mate on getting the ACCC into action. Hopefully we'll start to see some results!!

[Iron-Haggis]

I think it'll be up to consumers to make anything happen. If we see places trying to sell Brewed Under License beers as Imported then we should let them know about it.

[blandy]

If we see places trying to sell Brewed Under License beers as Imported then we should let them know about it.

YES

better to let places know that they are misrepresenting their stock rather than report them to the ACCC. I'm all in favour of giving these places a chance