(b) That's right. Suppliers are often tempted to excite the interest of potential customers by making claims about the quality or benefits of their goods and services that are, in fact, untrue. Section 29 of the ACL specifically prohibits the making of a variety of false or misleading statements in connection with the supply of goods or services.

For example, a person is not allowed to falsely represent that goods are of a 'particular standard, quality, value, grade, composition, style or model'; or that they have a particular history; or that they are new; or that they have been given some approval or sponsorship; or that they have particular performance characteristics; or that they came from a particular place of origin; or that they cost a particular price.

Section 29 sets out the provisions in detail, but the point is that a large number of commonly occurring misrepresentations have been specifically prohibited so that consumers are not led into transactions because of mistaken beliefs about the products they are purchasing. It does not matter, under the provisions of s 29, whether the specified representations are made carelessly or with any deliberate intention to mislead: the making of such representations is prohibited in all circumstances.