The ACCC announced on Thursday that it had issued infringement notices to Cash Converters Pty Ltd and Mobile Travel Agents Pty Ltd, for their alleged failures to comply with the Franchising Code of Conduct and that each franchisor had paid $16,500.00 in penalties.

As franchisors adapt to the Franchising Code of Conduct introduced on 1 April 2025 (the new Franchising Code), we look ahead to the next round of Code changes coming into effect on 1 November 2025.

In this article we look at some of the important changes to the disclosure obligations of franchisors, arising under the new Franchising Code of Conduct, which came into effect on 1 April 2025 ("the new Code"). 

The Competition and Consumer (Industry Code - Franchising) Regulations 2024, were made on 5 December 2024 and come into effect on 1 April 2025. You can read the regulations here.

Last week while I was busy ensuring that our franchisor clients had updated their profile on the Franchise Disclosure Register, the Federal Government released its consultation paper on a licensing regime for the franchising sector.

As foreshadowed in its response to the 2023 Review of the Franchising Code of Conduct (the Code), the Government has proposed amendments to the current termination provisions of the Code.

The Exposure Draft of the Franchising Code of Conduct has been released, with the Government inviting public feedback until 29 October 2024.

In our last article I considered the proposed changes to the Franchising Code of Conduct (the Code) arising from the 2023 Review of the Scope of the Regulation of the Code.

In this article I will provide an overview of the proposed changes to the requirements "Before a Franchisee Enters into a Franchise Agreement", and their implications for franchisors and franchisees.

The Exposure Draft for the 2025 update of the Franchising Code of Conduct (which is expected to come into force on 1 April 2025) has been released by the Australian Federal Government (the Government).

Franchising has long been considered a highly effective strategy for business growth, particularly in Australia. With over 1,100 franchisors and 70,000 franchisees operating across the country, this business model has become a cornerstone of the Australian economy, contributing more than $135 billion annually and employing around 520,000 people.

For many entrepreneurs, franchising offers a seemingly straightforward path to business expansion, leveraging an established brand and proven operational models to penetrate new markets quickly.

This post was updated on 23 May 2025

The Franchising Code of Conduct (the Franchising Code) provides that certain documents must be given to a franchisee before they enter into a franchise agreement.