Misleading Online Pricing Puts Car Rental Platform in ACCC Crosshairs

An international online car rental booking platform has paid a financial penalty after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) raised concerns about how prices were presented to Australian consumers.

SIA Booking Group Corporation, operating under the name EconomyBookings, paid $39,600 in penalties after the ACCC issued two infringement notices alleging breaches of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) relating to pricing representations on its website.

ACCC concerns over total price transparency

According to the ACCC, EconomyBookings failed to prominently display the total price of car rental services as a single figure during the booking process. The regulator also alleged that the platform made false or misleading representations about whether certain pre-selected optional extras were included in the advertised rental price.

Under the ACL, businesses must clearly disclose the total price payable, including any optional extras that have already been selected. This obligation applies equally to international and online businesses targeting Australian consumers.

ACCC Commissioner Luke Woodward reinforced this principle, stating that businesses must ensure pricing displays do not mislead consumers and that failure to do so may result in enforcement action.

Pre-selected extras created misleading impressions

The ACCC alleged that EconomyBookings automatically pre-selected optional extras, such as:

• Last Minute Cancellation

• Roadside assistance

• Full coverage insurance

These extras were allegedly not clearly included in the headline price shown early in the booking process.

In one example cited by the ACCC, consumers were initially shown a rental price of $147.10, while the actual total price payable after including the pre-selected extras was $315.04, more than double the initial figure.

The ACCC further alleged that one optional extra was displayed under a heading stating “Your car rental includes,” despite the displayed price not actually including that extra. This, the regulator claims, created a misleading impression about what was covered by the advertised price.

Why this matters for Australian businesses

This enforcement action highlights a key compliance risk for businesses operating online platforms, marketplaces, or comparison websites, particularly those offering services with optional add-ons.

Australian Consumer Law requires that:

• Total prices are displayed clearly and prominently

• Pre-selected options are fully reflected in the advertised price

• Pricing representations do not create false or misleading impressions, even unintentionally

Importantly, the ACCC clarified that it does not allege any wrongdoing by the third-party car rental providers listed on the EconomyBookings platform.

No admission of liability, but a strong compliance message

The ACCC can issue infringement notices when it has reasonable grounds to believe the ACL has been contravened. While payment of an infringement notice is not an admission of liability, it sends a clear signal to the market about regulatory expectations.

For businesses operating in e-commerce, travel, franchising, or platform-based models, this case reinforces the importance of reviewing pricing structures, booking flows, and disclosure practices, particularly where optional extras are involved.

How Bane Legal Services can help

Bane Legal Services is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.

However, with over 30 years of commercial and business experience, Bane Legal Services acts as a trusted legal matchmaker, connecting businesses with the right commercial, consumer, franchising, or regulatory lawyer for their specific situation.

If your business is concerned about ACL compliance, pricing transparency, or ACCC enforcement risk, getting advice from the right specialist lawyer early can be critical.

Source:

This article is based on an ACCC media release dated 28 January 2026: “Car rental platform pays penalty over concerning pricing representations.” The original release is published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).