2026 is the year that unfair trading practices like subscription traps will be banned thanks to the Albanese Government.
As Australians make New Year's resolutions, many will sign up for services designed to help build better habits. A gym membership to get moving. A meditation platform to stress less. A meal kit to eat more healthily. A language app to finally learn Italian.
Resolutions and subscriptions can be life‑changing. The problems are the traps that sometimes follow. A free trial that quietly rolls into a paid plan. A cancel button that is buried three screens deep. A requirement to phone during business hours to stop charges. What begins as a sensible resolution can end in frustration, with fees continuing long after enthusiasm has faded. Three out of four Australians with subscriptions say they have experienced problems cancelling.
That's why the Albanese Government is cracking down on subscription traps by strengthening Australian Consumer Law to reflect how people actually sign up and cancel services today.
Our Government's reforms target unfair subscription practices that exploit consumers, particularly arrangements where signing up is easy but cancelling is deliberately difficult. We're considering reforms that require businesses to clearly disclose key subscription terms before sign‑up, provide reminders before free trials convert to paid plans, and ensure that cancelling a subscription is at least as straightforward as joining.
These changes are about restoring balance in markets that increasingly rely on recurring payments. Subscription services can offer convenience and value, but only when consumers remain in control. Markets work best when people can try a service, assess whether it suits them, and unsubscribe as easily as they subscribed.
Our Government has worked with states and territories to agree on a national ban on unfair trading practices, including subscription traps, delivering consistent protections for consumers across the country. Consultation on the draft legislation will begin in early 2026.
As Australians set goals for the year ahead, they should be free to focus on getting fitter, healthier or more skilled, rather than wrestling with cancellation processes. New habits should not lock people into unwanted payments. Banning subscription traps is about fairness, transparency and giving Australians a fair go.
