Small businesses are increasingly turning to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commissioner for advice and guidance, according to latest data from the national competition and franchising regulator.

ACCC deputy chair Dr Michael Schaper said “The new mandatory national Franchising Code of Conduct came into effect on 1st January, and has generated a great deal of interest. More people than ever before are coming to the ACCC for advice and guidance on how to assess a franchising opportunity or resolve a franchising related dispute.”

More than 7000 people have contacted the ACCC in the last six months with a small business or franchising related complaint or enquiry, and more than 8000 people have completed the commission’s three free online education programs for small businesses, tertiary students and franchisees. There were also some 333 000 visits to the ACCC’s business webpages over the same time.

Misleading conduct and false representations remained the most widely reported small business issue over this six month period, with over 2000 complaints received by the ACCC’s Infocentre.

The latest edition of the ACCC’s Small business in focus report, just released, shows that small business contacts continue to increase, as do the number of franchisee enquiries.