Market code approved

A CODE of practice covering Australia’s direct marketing industry has been given conditional approval by the Australian Competition and Con-sumer Commission.

The code, developed by the Australian Direct Marketing Association, is designed to protect consumers from undesirable marketing methods by direct marketers.

These include businesses selling via telephone, magazines, mail-outs and the Internet.

ACCC chairman Allan Fels said the code ADMA originally proposed was too narrow.

“Many of the provisions only covered ADMA members who actually entered into a contract for the sale of goods or services ‘negotiated at a distance’,” Professor Fels said.

“This means the direct marketer and consumer had not met face-to-face. Further, the transaction had to be recorded and maintained on a list or database for future marketing purposes.”