Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd [2016] FCAFC 181

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd [2016] FCAFC 181 Appeal from: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 7) [2016] FCA 424

File number(s): NSD 752 of 2016

Judge(s): JAGOT, YATES AND BROMWICH JJ

Date of judgment: 16 December 2016

Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – pecuniary penalty for infringement of Australian Consumer Law – appropriate approach to assessment and appellate review of civil penalty – relevance of mental state to pleadings and assessment of penalty – appropriate application of "course of conduct" principle – re-exercise of penalty discretion CONSUMER LAW – pecuniary penalty for infringement of Australian Consumer Law – whether primary judge erred in assessing loss or damage suffered by consumers as a result of contravening conduct – whether primary judge erred in assessment of causation – whether primary judge erred in assessing types of harm suffered – whether penalty manifestly inadequate

Legislation: Australian Consumer Law (Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) Sch 2) ss 18, 29, 33, 224, 228 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 191

Cases cited: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v BAJV Pty Ltd [2014] FCAFC 52; (2014) ATPR 42-470 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd [2015] FCA 330; (2015) 327 ALR 540 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v MSY Technology Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] FCA 382; (2011) 279 ALR 609 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 4) [2015] FCA 1408 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 5) [2016] FCA 167 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 7) [2016] FCA 424 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 54; (2013) 250 CLR 640 Barbaro v The Queen [2012] VSCA 288; (2012) 226 A Crim R 354 Cabal v United Mexican States [2001] FCA 427; (2001) 108 FCR 311 Commonwealth v Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate [2015] HCA 46; (2015) 326 ALR 476 Costa v Public Trustee of New South Wales [2008] NSWCA 223; (2008) 1 ASTLR 56 Dinsdale v The Queen [2000] HCA 54; (2000) 202 CLR 321 Director of Consumer Affairs, Victoria v Alpha Flight Services Pty Ltd [2015] FCAFC 118 Henville v Walker [2001] HCA 52; (2001) 206 CLR 459 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 McDonald v Australian Building and Construction Commissioner [2011] FCAFC 29; (2011) 202 IR 467 National Tertiary Education Industry Union v Swinburne University of Technology (No 2) [2015] FCA 1080 NW Frozen Foods Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (1996) 71 FCR 285 Park Trent Properties Group Pty Ltd v Australian Securities and Investments Commission [2016] NSWCA 298 R v De Simoni (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Storey [1998] 1 VR 359 Setka v Gregor (No 2) [2011] FCAFC 90; (2011) 195 FCR 203 Trade Practices Commission v CSR Ltd [1991] ATPR 41-076 Trade Practices Commission v Mobil Oil Australia Ltd (1985) 4 FCR 296 Wardley Australia Ltd v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514 Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531 Wong v The Queen [2001] HCA 64; (2001) 207 CLR 584