FED: Govt cuts fees for shopper docket schemes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-1998
FED: Govt cuts fees for shopper docket schemes

CANBERRA, Dec 17 AAP - Fees paid by small firms to set up shopper docket schemes had been
slashed from $1,000 to $100, the federal government said today.

Financial Services and Regulation Minister Joe Hockey said the notification fee, paid to
the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), had been cut to help small business
compete with larger companies.

Shopper-docket schemes, called third-line forcing, are illegal under the Trade Practices
Act.

But, where there are public gains like lower petrol prices, business may seek immunity from
court action by notifying the ACCC.

Mr Hockey said independent petrol retailers and supermarkets had been trying to respond to
shopper docket schemes by national chains.

But they had been faced with the $1,000 fee for notification of each arrangement, he said
in a statement.

"This removes an obstacle which might prevent small businesses from competing with the
large supermarket chains and offering lower petrol prices to consumers," he said.

The fee cut will be implemented through gazetted amendments to the Act.

AAP rmm/mfh/it

KEYWORD: SHOPPER

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