The Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC) is calling for a nationwide ban of unsolicited selling, including of rooftop solar products, in the first ever designated ‘super complaint’ presented to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The federal government last year granted CALC special power to make a designated complaint, also known as a super complaint, where it reports an issue directly to the ACCC for urgent attention.
The advocacy group has used its new power for the first time to take aim at door-to-door sales, cold-calling and social media advertising to sell unsolicited products.
The complaint alleges cold calling, door-knocking and the use of lead generation marketing on social media to push unsolicited products is rife and systemic, particularly in the rooftop solar sector.
CALC Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Tonkin said the consumer sector has been fighting the issue for years and the problem is ongoing and current, with “unscrupulous” door-to-door solar sales being reported as recently as February 2025.
“Today, we are hearing about the unsolicited door-to-door selling and telemarketing of many items, most notably, solar panels – in the past it was encyclopedias and educational software,” she said. “It’s an ongoing systemic issue that impacts thousands of Australians and causes real harm especially to those living in vulnerable circumstances.”
Some of the conduct identified by CALC that may have breached unsolicited selling provisions includes refusing to stop selling when requested by the consumer; not informing consumers of cooling off rights; and failing to supply signed documents.
The complaint also details issues relating to consumer agreements and post-contractual conduct.
CALC said the structure of unsolicited sales in the solar sector and the broader clean energy transition point to it being a systemic issue, and one that is damaging consumer trust in the market.
“The unsolicited sale of solar products poses broader risks to the Australian economy by degrading trust in the solar industry and government schemes and discouraging people from participating in the transition to clean energy,” the complaint reads
“The widespread poor practices in this industry are … damaging consumer trust in the market, detracting from the advantages of rooftop solar for homeowners and the energy grid, and undermining efforts to transition Australia to clean energy sources.”
Victoria has already banned unsolicited selling of solar panels and products under government incentive programs, but CALC said data shows the practice is still widespread in the state.
“This demonstrates to us that nothing short of an outright ban on unsolicited selling (and better regulation of lead generation) will stop the practice,” the advocacy group said.
The ACCC must publicly respond to the designated complaint by mid June, stating if further action will be taken, including whether it will recommend to the next federal government whether the law should change.
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