Ready meals manufacturer fined for telemarketing breaches

Convenience meals manufacturer Easymeals has been fined $13,600 for making telemarketing calls to numbers on the Do Not Call Register and for calling outside of permitted hours.

An investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that Easymeals’ national call centre in Brisbane made calls outside of the calling times allowed by the Telemarketing Industry Standard. The calls were made to states with a time zone up to two hours behind Brisbane and were received earlier than the 9 am start time permitted on weekdays and Saturdays.

The ACMA investigation also found that Easymeals’ call centres had breached the Do Not Call Register Act by making telemarketing calls to some consumers on the register after they had asked to opt out of further calls.

“Consumers should not be interrupted at unreasonable hours simply because a telemarketer has failed to take Australia’s different time zones into account,” said the ACMA’s acting chairman, Richard Bean.

Following the ACMA investigation, Easymeals has taken steps to ensure future compliance.