The way most of us consume goods and services is changing at an unprecedented speed and scale. Australian consumers’ reputation as early adopters of new technologies has only been accelerated by the pandemic, with a step change in online purchases and dramatic changes in the industry capability. Although this has delivered many benefits, consumers’ reliance on, and participation in an increasingly digitised economy also creates substantial challenges for consumer policy and wider economic management. Maintaining consumer trust in data-driven technologies, products and services will be critical to a consumer-led recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

Consumer protection and competition frameworks developed for analogue markets now need to evolve to address market failures and promote the long-term consumer interest in a very different context. Our work explores the implications for consumers and their expectations, testing how adaptable, technology-neutral and future-proof current Australian consumer protections really are, and how digital technology can be harnessed to benefit rather than harm consumers, including those in vulnerable circumstances.