Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)
Section 96
Acts constituting engaging in resale price maintenance
(1) Subject to this Part, a corporation (in this section called the supplier) engages in the practice of resale price maintenance if that corporation does an act referred to in any of the paragraphs of subsection (3).
(2) Subject to this Part, a person (not being a corporation and also in this section called the supplier) engages in the practice of resale price maintenance if that person does an act referred to in any of the paragraphs of subsection (3) where the second person mentioned in that paragraph is a corporation.
(3) The acts referred to in subsections (1) and (2) are the following:
(a) the supplier making it known to a second person that the supplier will not supply goods to the second person unless the second person agrees not to sell those goods at a price less than a price specified by the supplier;
(b) the supplier inducing, or attempting to induce, a second person not to sell, at a price less than a price specified by the supplier, goods supplied to the second person by the supplier or by a third person who, directly or indirectly, has obtained the goods from the supplier;
(c) the supplier entering into an agreement, or offering to enter into an agreement, for the supply of goods to a second person, being an agreement one of the terms of which is, or would be, that the second person will not sell the goods at a price less than a price specified, or that would be specified, by the supplier;
(d) the supplier withholding the supply of goods to a second person for the reason that the second person:
(i) has not agreed as mentioned in paragraph (a); or
(ii) has sold, or is likely to sell, goods supplied to him or her by the supplier, or goods supplied to him or her by a third person who, directly or indirectly, has obtained the goods from the supplier, at a price less than a price specified by the supplier as the price below which the goods are not to be sold;
(e) the supplier withholding the supply of goods to a second person for the reason that a third person who, directly or indirectly, has obtained, or wishes to obtain, goods from the second person:
(i) has not agreed not to sell those goods at a price less than a price specified by the supplier; or
(ii) has sold, or is likely to sell, goods supplied to him or her, or to be supplied to him or her, by the second person, at a price less than a price specified by the supplier as the price below which the goods are not to be sold; and
(f) the supplier using, in relation to any goods supplied, or that may be supplied, by the supplier to a second person, a statement of a price that is likely to be understood by that person as the price below which the goods are not to be sold.
(4) For the purposes of subsection (3):
(a) where a price is specified by another person on behalf of the supplier, it shall be deemed to have been specified by the supplier;
(b) where the supplier makes it known, in respect of goods, that the price below which those goods are not to be sold is a price specified by another person in respect of those goods, or in respect of goods of a like description, that price shall be deemed to have been specified, in respect of the first‑mentioned goods, by the supplier;
(c) where a formula is specified by or on behalf of the supplier and a price may be ascertained by calculation from, or by reference to, that formula, that price shall be deemed to have been specified by the supplier; and
(d) where the supplier makes it known, in respect of goods, that the price below which those goods are not to be sold is a price ascertained by calculation from, or by reference to, a formula specified by another person in respect of those goods or in respect of goods of a like description, that price shall be deemed to have been specified, in respect of the first‑mentioned goods, by the supplier.
(5) In subsection (4), formula includes a set form or method.
(6) For the purposes of subsection (3), anything done by a person acting on behalf of, or by arrangement with, the supplier shall be deemed to have been done by the supplier.
(7) A reference in any of paragraphs (3)(a) to (e), inclusive, including a reference in negative form, to the selling of goods at a price less than a price specified by the supplier shall be construed
(a) the advertising of goods for sale at a price less than a price specified by the supplier as the price below which the goods are not to be advertised for sale;
(b) the displaying of goods for sale at a price less than a price specified by the supplier as the price below which the goods are not to be displayed for sale; and
(c) the offering of goods for sale at a price less than a price specified by the supplier as the price below which the goods are not to be offered for sale;
and a reference in paragraph (3)(d), (e) or (f) to a price below which the goods are not to be sold shall be construed as including a reference to the price below which the goods are not to be advertised for sale, to the price below which the goods are not to be displayed for sale and to the price below which the goods are not to be offered for sale.
(8) Subsection (1) does not apply with respect to any act referred to in a paragraph of subsection (3) if the supplier and the second person referred to in that paragraph are bodies corporate that are related to each other.
Location: Part VIII
View official version at Federal Register of Legislation
Legislative history
Amended by Competition and Consumer Amendment (Competition Policy Reform) Act 2017
Subsection (8) added
Amended by Competition Policy Reform Act 1995 (Act 88 of 1995)
Commentary
Cases
ACCC (Authorisation)
Tooltechnic Systems (Aust) Pty Ltd (2014)
First RPM authorisation case
Court
See also cases database for RPM
ACCC v Mitsubishi Electric Australia Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 1413
ACCC v Eternal Beauty Products Pty Ltd [2012] FCA 1124
ACCC v Dermalogica Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 152; (2005) 215 ALR 482
Resale price maintenance
ACCC v IGC Dorel Pty Ltd [2010] FCA 1303 ➤
Resale price maintenance - agreed penalties
ACCC v Jurlique International Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 79 (8 February 2007)
ACCC v Navman Australia Pty Ltd [2007] FCA 2061 ➤
ACCC v Chaste Corporation Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 1212
BP Australia Ltd v TPC (1986) 12 FCR 118 ➤
Mikasa (NSW) Pty Ltd v Festival Stores [1972] HCA 69; (1972) 127 CLR 617 (21 December 1972) ➤ Pre-TPA/CCA
Ron Hodgson (Holding) Pty Ltd v Westco Motors (Distributors) Pty Ltd (1980) 29 ALR 307; [1980] FCA 3 ➤
(withholding supply)
TPC v Bata Shoe Co of Australia Pty Ltd (1980) 44 FLR 149; [1980] FCA 18 ➤
The Heating Centre Pty Ltd v TPC (1986) 9 FCR 153 ➤
Reading
For a discussion of the law until 1991 and RPM generally Clarke, Vertical Price Fixing, Federation Press (1991).
See also reading room database
Dave Poddar and Kiran Gill, 'Australia: First Authorisation of Resale Price Maintenance?' (2016) 7(3) Journal of European Competition Law & Practice 212-218
Russell Miller, 'What if ... The prohibition on resale price maintenance - from controversial beginnings to redundance?' (2014) 22(3) AJCCL 224
Martyn Taylor and Claire Forster, 'Resale Price Maintenance: An Update and a Reminder' (2012) 27(9) Competition and Consumer Law News 294
Lilla Csorgo, 'Resale Price Maintenance Provisions: Who has it Right?' (Paper presented at the 9th Annual University of South Australia Competition and Consumer Workshop, Adelaide, 15 October 2011)
Warren Pengilley, 'Resale price maintenance: An overview of the per se ban in light of recent court observations' (2008) 16 Competition and Consumer Law Journal 1-45 (includes an extensive bibliography of RPM articles and books)
Rachel Trindade, "Resale price maintenance – some practical observations from Australia" (2008) 4 Competition Law International 15
Mitchell G Landrigan, ‘Vertical Price and Non-Price Restraints in Australia and the US: A Comparative Analysis’ (1997) 25 Australian Business Law Review 312
Geoff Edwards, 'When Should Resale Price Maintenance be Authorised? Guidelines for Use in Authorisation Decisions' (1996) 4 Trade Practices Law Journal 161
Rachel Trindade, "Resale price maintenance – some practical observations from Australia" (2008) 4 Competition Law International 15
Mitchell G Landrigan, ‘Vertical Price and Non-Price Restraints in Australia and the US: A Comparative Analysis’ (1997) 25 Australian Business Law Review 312
Geoff Edwards, 'When Should Resale Price Maintenance be Authorised? Guidelines for Use in Authorisation Decisions' (1996) 4 Trade Practices Law Journal 161
R Ian McEwin, 'Vertical Restraints in the Australian Trade Practices Act' (1994) 9 Review of Industrial Organization 627-247
Last updated: 10 October 2020