Elderly get sucked in by door to door vacuum sellers
May 15th, 2012
Lux has been accused of ‘unconscionably’ pressuring elderly consumers to buy vacuum cleaners by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Lux, who distributes vacuum cleaners predominantly through in-house demonstrations, is being prosecuted in the Federal Court.
The watchdog has filed proceedings in the Court against Lux, alleging that between the two years from 2009 to 2011, the vacuum cleaner distributor contravened the Trade Practices act when it engaged in “unconscionable conduct” selling vacuum cleaners to at least five elderly consumers.
According to the ACCC, Lux sales representatives called upon the consumers under the premise of a free vacuum maintenance check, but then used “unfair” sales tactics to pressure them into buying a new vacuum for a price of up to $2,280.
Some of the alleged victims were over 90 years old.
The ACCC is seeking declarations, injunctions, pecuniary penalties, implementation of a trade practices compliance programme by Lux as well as costs.
The matter has been filed in the Federal Court’s Fast Track List and is listed for a scheduling conference before Justice Dodds-Streeton in Melbourne on 6 July 2012 at 10:00am.
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