Category: Consumers

Top Brand reflects the overall product ownership experience. To achieve an award a brand must excel in Consumer NZ product testing and be a high achiever in our customer satisfaction and reliability surveys.

The Isuzu television advertisement shows a truck being driven over rural terrain with the voice-over saying “This is John Simpson from Mount Hay Station, Tekapo. John’s been driving this D-Max for a while now. It’s been a great truck and it’s got heaps of life left yet. But even so, he’ll be driving into town to the dealer soon and trading it in for a new D-Max, so someone else can have this one. John’s a good bastard! Be like John! Trade up to a new Isuzu D-Max, so someone else can have your old one.” The advertisement ends with the tag-line “Be a Good Bastard.”

An online electronics retailer that we warned consumers not to trade with has admitted misleading Aussie shoppers by selling second-hand goods as new and misleading consumers about their rights.

A Consumer NZ member who took tech giant Microsoft to the Disputes Tribunal over a faulty Xbox has won a $480 refund.

The Commerce Commission is warning shoppers to be wary if they’re using websites run by online beauty retailer Luxstyle.

Two tests of SunSense Ultra SPF50+ found the sunscreen fails to provide the protection claimed.

The following decisions have been published: Complaint 17/345 Zepter International New Zealand, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/348 Zepter International New Zealand, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/378, Brand Developers, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/392 Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG): Upheld, in part Complaint 17/398 Brand Developers Insurance, Television: Not Upheld…

Only 1 trampoline met all the critical safety checks in a test by Consumer NZ. Of 7 models tested, only the Springfree, a soft-edge trampoline with its frame and springs beneath the jumping mat, passed all impact, structural and entrapment tests.

Still doing your Christmas shopping, or planning to head to the Boxing Day sales? Here’s how to shop smart these holidays.

Real estate agents providing incorrect or misleading information topped the issues raised in consumer complaints and inquiries to the Real Estate Agents Authority (REAA) this year.

After 15 years with his employer, Murray Hodson was rewarded with a Prezzy Card loaded with a generous $2700. Murray was chuffed with his gift, until he jumped online to check his balance and discovered the card had expired with nearly $2500 of credit on it.

If you’re craving a pleasant shopping experience this Christmas, you’re more likely to find it at the little guys than at the big chain stores.

TSB Bank will refund its customers’ overcharged fees after reporting itself to the Commerce Commission.

The Appeal Board considered all the matters afresh and agreed the identity of the Advertiser and their position were clear and accepted the image in the billboard was an illustration of damage to teeth.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has developed a Guidance Note for advertising health services. This provides advertisers with information to help them comply with the ASA’s Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code when making claims about their service in their advertisements.

A complainant said the Fonterra advertisement was misleading because it was “insinuating that dairy somehow aids in the recovery and rehabilitation of serious accidents” which was not substantiated. The Complainant also said the advertisement was insensitive as it minimised the hard work of the patient and Doctor.

The International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS) is a global platform promoting responsible ads through the effective implementation of self-regulatory standards. ICAS has released a short animated video to help explain advertising self-regulation:

The Complainant was concerned the promotion of restricted products in a mailbox flyer meant children could be exposed to images of the R18 products and it created a level of acceptance of behaviour that could lead to drug use. The Advertiser said they had taken a considered approach to the creation of the advertisement, including noting the products were R18 and the front of the flyer only referred to the locations of the stores, not the products. The Advertiser also drew a comparison with the advertising of alcohol, which is also a legal but restricted product.

The Billboard advertisement for Lion (NZ) Ltd – Corona Extra, showed a snow-covered mountain range at sunset. Skis and snowboard equipment were leaning against a hut wall, while some people drank bottles of beer. The tagline at the bottom of the billboard states “From where you’d rather be.”

The lead up to a general election is usually a busy time for the ASA, and 2017 proved no exception. The ASA deals with complaints about all election advertising in non-broadcast media and third-party election advertising in broadcast media. This year the ASA dealt with 11 election advertisement complaints under its fast-track process.  This process requires a response from the advertiser and any other relevant party within 24 hours of notification of the complaint.

Two Facebook groups and an Instagram account contained posts that focused on the consumption of Double Brown beer, a product of DB Breweries Limited. A Complainant was concerned the material depicted irresponsible drinking behaviours including excessive drinking, drinking in hazardous environments, and showing people under 25 consuming alcohol with strong appeal to minors.

The Complainant’s view was that the use of the red colour and Labour Party logo was misleading as it implied it was the official position of the Labour Party and gave the impression Labour intends to implement a Capital Gains Tax if elected. The Advertiser said the use of the Labour Party logo and red colour highlighted the contrast in the parties’ policies on tax.

The Complainant said the advertisement’s claim that people will pay more tax from 1 April 2018 was misleading. The Advertiser said it was not misleading because the National Party’s tax package that comes into effect 1 April 2018 will mean people pay less tax than they do under the current law.

The television and digital advertisement for Meridian Energy’s electric vehicles showed a father and son driving through the countryside, passing wind turbines and states in part: “Meridian has always been committed to looking after New Zealand’s future. So that’s why they’re right behind electric vehicles.

With the publication of our 2016 Annual Report, we have revealed New Zealand’s top 10 most complained about ads of 2016. The cause of complaints ranged from encouraging illegal behaviour, to racism and inappropriate sexual content. Commenting on the Top 10 most complained about ads of 2016, our Chief Executive Hilary Souter said: “We have…

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has released its 2016 annual report. In 2016 the ASA received 586 formal complaints and responded to 273 enquiries from media, advertisers and agencies about advertisements prior to publication or broadcast.

The inaugural Broadband Compare Awards launched this week in response to the increasingly diversified sector of more than 100 internet providers offering services across the country.

A radio advertisement for Ben Holden Fencing featured Ben Holden reading the following script “Your wife jumping the fence boys? Fence her in today – Phone me, Ben Holden, fencing service with integrity. Ben Holden – Keeping marriages together since 1969! I’ve got you covered lads.”

Today we stood up for the 71% of Kiwis who want to know where their food comes from, presenting our submission on the Consumers’ Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Bill.

Garden pesticides containing a broad-spectrum fungicide will be banned from sale from November.

A former Mercury Energy customer has got an unreserved apology after a letter from the company claimed he needed to open a new account within 7 days or his power could be cut off.

People considering signing up for Vodafone’s FibreX service might be surprised to learn they won’t actually be getting fibre broadband.

A sales promotion scheme is a popular marketing technique used when an advertiser offers the chance to go in to the draw to win something after purchasing their product or service.

Consumer NZ is supporting the inaugural Safer Homes Event being held in Wellington, 26 to 27 May 2017.

BNZ has topped the latest Consumer NZ KiwiSaver customer satisfaction survey. It has been named as the Consumer NZ 2017 People’s Choice award winner for KiwiSaver providers.

ANZ Ltd’s television advertisement showed two children approach a tall wooden fence. The boy clambers onto the girl’s shoulders and peers over to next door, where a man is clearing leaves from his swimming pool. The girl calls out “Hey mister, what’s your pool doing later?”

Tickets to Ed Sheeran’s March 2018 concerts are being sold on ticket resale website Viagogo at hugely inflated prices.

Lies about the origin of the bee pollen inside NatureBee products has seen the company behind it and its director fined $526,500.

Consumer NZ welcomes the Commerce Commission’s announcement it’s targeting retailers’ misleading pricing practices.

Fonterra’s Milk for Schools television advertisements promoted milk as “a great source of nutrition” and said calcium and protein build strong bones, teeth and muscles in children. The Complainant said the use of the terms ‘long-term health benefits’ and ‘goodness of milk’ were misleading and inaccurate and would lead to long-term harm and illness for

Spark’s 30-year-old Public Switched Telephone Network is being phased out over the next 5 years, with a new next-gen system taking its place. This new IP-based network is called the Converged Communications Network.

Financial advisers believe it’s not viable to have clients with retirement savings less than $100,000, a study by the Financial Markets Authority reports.

Consumer NZ’s 2017 AGM will be held on Friday, 30 June at 1pm in our boardroom, Level 1, 204 Thorndon Quay, Wellington.

A massive phishing scam was launched overnight that gives attackers access to your Gmail account.

Expensive over-the-counter cold and flu remedies are often no more effective than paracetamol, honey and putting your feet up for a few days, says Consumer NZ.
###April

Advertisers, agencies and the media have obligations around the content of election advertising, election programmes and other election-related material in broadcast, print and digital media. There are detailed rules in both the Electoral Act 1993 and the Broadcasting Act 1989 on what political parties, candidates and third parties can and cannot do when campaigning.  Some…

A Consumer NZ report on pre-made emergency survival kits found most either lacked key items, contained gear of poor quality or weren’t good value.

An online electronics retailer that advertises goods to Kiwi consumers and claims to have a local office has failed to comply with a court order to refund a customer for a faulty phone. The customer was told she had to pursue the case in Hong Kong against its parent company.

Consumer NZ has given TSB Bank, The Co-operative Bank and Kiwibank 2017 People’s Choice awards for banking.

Consumer NZ is joining forces with consumer groups in Australia and the UK to investigate complaints about ticket reselling sites such as Viagogo and Ticketmaster Resale.

As part of an upcoming report on survival kits, our writer George Block has ventured into the bush of Matiu/Somes Island to see if his homemade version can get him through 3 days.

Kiwis are one step closer to being able to identify where their fruit and veges come from after the Consumers’ Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Bill passed its first reading in Parliament yesterday.

The 30-second BP Oil television advertisement featured a man at a BP station avoiding a woman by using a BPMe app which allowed him to pay from his car. The Complainant was concerned the advertisement was irresponsible since every filling station had signs informing customers to switch their mobile phones off

We’re warning consumers not to deal with Get Design and Sales, a kitset building company that operates websites mydiy.co.nz, kiwi-built.co.nz and econobach.co.nz.

Complaints to the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal, the specialist body set up to handle car complaints, rose 33% last year.

We’ve had a fantastic response to our Sneaky Fees campaign. We launched the campaign last month to get retailers to come clean on price and stop adding extra charges to the advertised cost of goods and services.

Food prices rose 2.2% in the year to February, the biggest annual increase in 5 years.

“Gifted, but often led astray.” That’s the crux of New Zealand’s latest environmental report card from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Ford is recalling about 1000 Kugas and Fiesta STs because of the risk a fire could start under the hood.

The cost of leaving your car at the airport while you’re away can add big bucks to your trip. Rates for an hour’s parking at Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are more than double what you pay to park in the city centres.

High-priced rock and sea salts promoted as healthier choices risk misleading consumers about their benefits, our report has found.

The booklet-style visitors’ guide titled “Visit Picton & Waikawa Bay, Marlborough Sounds NZ” contains advertisements for a range of attractions and statements about Picton and the surrounding area. The Complainant said some of the advertisements and claims in the visitor guide were misleading.

This Lions Tour has been designated as a Major Event under the Major Event Management Act (MEMA). The MEMA provides protection to organisers and sponsors of major events from ambush marketing. The MEMA recognises that major events rely on sponsors making very large financial commitments. Other advertisers are not allowed to free-ride on the sponsors’ investments and trade off the goodwill and publicity surrounding an event.

This Lions Tour has been designated as a Major Event under the Major Event Management Act (MEMA). The MEMA provides protection to organisers and sponsors of major events from ambush marketing. The MEMA recognises that major events rely on sponsors making very large financial commitments. Other advertisers are not allowed to free-ride on the sponsors’ investments and trade off the goodwill and publicity surrounding an event.

The Ministry of Culture and Heritage provides guidelines about the use of the word Anzac in advertising. The guidelines prohibit the use of the word Anzac in trade or business unless approval has been given by the minister for arts, culture and heritage and the governor-general.

Consumers could be paying $68 million each year in extra fees retailers are adding to the advertised price of goods and services.

A company that sold door-to-door in the North Island has been fined $145,000 for misleading claims about its “Christmas Deal Bundles” and other breaches of the Fair Trading Act.

A television advertisement promoting Village Roadshow’s film “Red Dog True Blue” included short clips from the film which is set in Western Australia. One of the excerpts showed a man saying “Where’s my bloody shaving cream?” In the following shot was a dog, which appeared to have shaving cream on its face.

The Complainant was concerned that the advertisement said that an eye examination was free for AA members but did not say that conditions applied. The Complainant believed they should have been told they had had an eye examination only a year ago and it was only free every two years.

People who took out loans with internet-based lender Rapid Loans are getting a refund of the unreasonable fees they were charged – plus an extra 5%.

Chicken producers Ingham and Tegel have been warned for including stuffing and marinade in the labelled weight of their chooks.

71% of Kiwis want mandatory country of origin labelling (CoOL) for fruit and vegetables. It’s a clear message to parliament the law needs to change.

The owner of mobile truck company Flexi Buy, which sold door-to-door in the North Island, has been sentenced to 2 years in jail.

A television advertisement for AA Insurance showed a man getting out of his car after a utility vehicle reversed into it. The front bumper of the man’s car has been damaged. The car is parked outside a cafe which has an open roller door as the entrance with a driveway out in front.

Setting up a student flat? Here are 4 products that do a great job but are also really cheap.

Investigations by Australian regulators have shed light on the relationship between insurers and car dealers selling insurance on commission, which can reach 79% of premiums.

15 March marks World Consumer Rights Day. This year’s focus is on consumer rights in an internet age. Which online services we can trust? What happens to data we share? What are our rights when we buy online?

A kitset building company boasting “NZ’s largest range of quality sheds and cabins” has left a Consumer member out of pocket and failed to comply with a Disputes Tribunal order to refund her money.

The ASA announced today it has adopted a new code following recommendation from an independent panel. The new code replaces the Code for Advertising to Children and the Children’s Code for Advertising Food and for the first time will cover all advertising to children and young people.

Scammers pretending to work for telcos are targeting elderly and vulnerable people, with three Tasman residents alone losing $120,000.