Customer loyalty programmes: IFRIC13 and the ambiguities of revenue cecognition

From 1 July 2008 IFRIC 13 becomes mandatory in Australia, requiring a standardised deferred revenue treatment to account for a plethora of Customer Loyalty Programmes (CLP). This paper highlights the diverse views of appropriate classification, and the ambiguities faced by those accounting for CLP. A text based analysis of documents pertaining to IFRIC 13 shows the International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (IFRIC) to be committed to a principles based approach in making its interpretation. While IFRIC members were responsive to the concerns of interested parties, they were not subservient to the ensuing lobbying process.