For media inquiries, contact Consumer NZ chief executive Sue Chetwin: 021 472 748 or sue@consumer.org.nz
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Consumer NZ Board announces CEO Sue Chetwin resignation 13 Nov 2019
The Board of Consumer NZ has accepted, with great regret, the resignation of its chief executive officer Sue Chetwin.
Consumer protections in electricity market long overdue 3 Oct 2019
Protections for vulnerable electricity consumers and an end to misleading “prompt-payment discounts” are being welcomed by Consumer NZ.
Majority support banning medicine ads 7 August 2019
Consumer NZ survey finds most Kiwis want drug company advertising to end.
Christchurch funeral directors Lamb & Hayward achieve Consumer Trusted accreditation 30 Jul 2019
Christchurch-based funeral home first to achieve Consumer Trusted recognition.
Shoe Clinic first to five years with Consumer Trusted accreditation 25 Jul 2019
Consistently high standards of customer care earn retailer Consumer Trusted recognition.
Insurance market not working for consumers 24 Jun 2019
Consumer NZ's latest survey research has found significant problems in the insurance market.
Best curtains & blinds for keeping warm revealed 6 Jun 2019
Consumer NZ testing reveals the right curtains and blinds can keep your home warm and comfortable this winter.
Don’t fall for retailers’ “out of warranty” excuses 23 May 2019
Consumer rights don’t end when the product warranty does.
Banks pushing unwanted credit cards and insurance 24 Apr 2019
Consumer NZ’s latest banking survey found one in five bank customers had been offered unwanted financial products.
Satisfaction with KiwiSaver providers drops 17 Apr 2019
Majority of KiwiSaver providers in our survey saw a fall in customer satisfaction.
One in 10 Kiwis uncomfortable asking if medical treatment is necessary 3 Apr 2019
One in 10 New Zealanders don’t feel comfortable asking their doctor about whether a treatment or test is necessary, a survey by Consumer NZ and the Council of Medical Colleges has found.
Consumer launches guide to chemical disposal 1 Feb 2019
Consumer NZ compiles a free council-by-council guide to disposing of unwanted household chemicals.
5 more sunscreens fail to meet SPF claims 30 Jan 2019
Another five sunscreens have failed to meet SPF label claims with one product only giving low protection.
Major problems in life insurance industry 29 Jan 2019
Major problems in the life industry insurance are leading to consumers being sold poor-value products and paying higher premiums.
Consumer NZ rejects Cancer Society’s sunscreen testing claims 29 Jan 2019
Consumer NZ rejects the Cancer Society’s response to the results of its latest testing.
Jetstar forced to ditch the ticks 17 Mar 2016
Jetstar has been forced to back down on opt-out pricing. The airline yesterday signed formal undertakings with the Commerce Commission agreeing to stop pre-ticking boxes for travel insurance, seat selection and check-in baggage.
Consumer groups put focus on fast food 15 Mar 2016
Consumer organisations around the world are calling on major fast-food companies, McDonald’s, KFC and Subway, to make a global commitment to stop serving meat from animals raised with the routine use of antibiotics important to human medicine.
LG & Apple phones win Consumer NZ award 15 Mar 2016
Apple and LG are winners of the 2016 Consumer NZ Top Brand awards for mobile phones.
Two telcos win People’s Choice award 23 Feb 2016
Skinny Mobile and Inspire Net are the latest winners of Consumer NZ People’s Choice awards. Skinny Mobile won in the Mobile Service Provider category and Inspire Net in the ISP category.
Gyms risk breaching unfair terms ban 04 Feb 2016
Consumer NZ is calling on gyms to get their membership contracts into shape.
Results of our telco survey revealed 03 Feb 2016
In an industry that’s all about telecommunications, Consumer NZ members find it hard to get the big players to answer the phone.
Cheap sunnies can do the job 22 Dec 2015
Protecting your eyes from the sun doesn’t have to cost the earth. A Consumer NZ test of 60 sunglasses, ranging in price from $2 to $270, found cheap sunnies that provided UV protection as good as that provided by expensive pairs.
Supermarket survey puts spotlight on prices 07 Dec 2015
Consumer NZ’s annual supermarket price survey has put Pak’nSave in the lead for budget buys.
Plain English Award winner announced 20 Nov 2015
International consultancy Castalia was the big winner at the 2015 Plain English Awards held at Wellington’s City Gallery last night.
Fraud Awareness Week kicks off 16 Nov 2015
Fraud Awareness Week, which runs until 21 November, is targeting scammers who masquerade as legitimate companies to dupe consumers and small businesses out of their cash.
Mitre 10 and 100% Appliances get award 13 Nov 2015
Home appliance and technology store 100% Appliances, and hardware and DIY store Mitre 10 have been awarded Consumer NZ’s 2015 People’s Choice Awards.
Best and worst retailers revealed 11 Nov 2015
Consumer NZ has announced the best and worst performers from its 2015 retailer satisfaction survey.
Colour-care shampoo doesn’t fight fade 11 Nov 2015
Supermarket shelves are full of shampoos for dyed hair, claiming they help fight colour fade, but a Consumer NZ test has found you’d be better off using just water to retain your colour.
Vinegar and baking soda beats 13 cleaners 06 Nov 2015
Consumer NZ put 16 cleaners to the test and found only one to recommend. Surprisingly it found a home-made mixture of baking soda and white vinegar cleaned better than most manufactured cleaners.
Flushable wipe claims don’t wash 21 Oct 2015
Consumer NZ wants manufacturers of flushable wipes to drop claims these products are “flushable”.
Announcing the finalists for the 2015 Plain English Awards 20 Oct 2015
2015 is the tenth year of the WriteMark Plain English Awards. The Awards celebrate clear, concise documents and websites – and the people and organisations who create them. This year judges had 140 entries to read through, and a hard job choosing between them.
Flick Electric Co. and Triton Hearing receive Consumer Trusted accreditation 15 Oct 2015
Consumer NZ is delighted to announce electricity provider Flick Electric Co. and hearing health care provider Triton Hearing have received Consumer Trusted accreditation.
Green cleaners no better than water 04 Sept 2015
Manufacturers of laundry balls market them as an “environmentally friendly” cleaning option. But a Consumer NZ test has found you’d be better off saving your money and just using water to do your laundry.
Consumer groups take aim at Jetstar 13 Jul 2015
Consumer NZ and CHOICE are campaigning to ditch the ticks.
Big power companies rate lowest 07 Jul 2015
Big power companies received the lowest ratings for customer satisfaction in Consumer NZ’s latest annual survey.
Looking for NZ’s best & worst documents 01 Jul 2015
We want the best and worst documents or webpages you’ve come across for entry into the People’s Choice category of the annual Plain English Awards.
93 percent ticked off with Jetstar 22 Jun 2015
A Consumer NZ survey found 93 percent of respondents want Jetstar to stop using pre-ticked boxes for travel insurance, seat selection and check-in baggage.
Enforcement key to new lending rules 05 Jun 2015
New responsible lending rules that come into effect this week will need to be actively enforced to rein-in lenders who target vulnerable consumers.
Consumer NZ survey reveals the most reliable appliance brands 03 Jun 2015
Products may have become more complex in the past decade but their reliability hasn’t suffered according to the latest Consumer NZ survey.
Consumer says ditch the ticks 20 May 2015
Consumer NZ is calling on Jetstar to stop confusing customers and ditch the use of pre-ticked boxes that risk misleading people into paying for extras.
Time for a sunbed ban 07 May 2015
A Consumer NZ mystery shop of 60 sunbed operators found more than 40 percent failed to implement key safety checks.
Help comes for elderly UFB customers 01 May 2015
Consumer NZ has negotiated a deal with Slingshot to provide cheaper services to the residents of Marshall Court Apartments in Miramar, Wellington.
Our take on Global Mode fight 10 Apr 2015
Recently, Lightbox (Spark), MediaWorks, SKY and TVNZ threatened Slingshot, Orcon, Bypass Network Services and other ISPs with legal action unless they cease operation of Global Mode and other similar services in New Zealand.
Be wary of extended warranties 02 Apr 2015
A Consumer NZ mystery shop of big-box retailers has found sales staff promoting extended warranties with misleading claims.
Local banks rated the best for service 30 Mar 2015
Consumer NZ’s latest bank survey found local banks achieved the highest customer satisfaction ratings.
Consumer NZ campaign targets unfair contract terms 16 Mar 2015
Consumer NZ has launched a campaign to target the use of unfair terms in consumer contracts.
Enough of the ‘in-salts’ 16 Mar 2015
When it comes to helping consumers make healthy food choices, highlighting the salt content of foods Kiwi kids love is a good place to start.
Air NZ warning a win for consumers 06 Mar 2015
The move to stop Air New Zealand and other businesses using ‘opt out’ pricing is to be congratulated, Consumer NZ says.
Consumer, Cancer Society call for outright ban on sunbeds 25 Feb 2015
Consumer NZ and the Cancer Society are calling for an outright ban on commercial sunbeds.
Putting our trust in the best 05 Feb 2015
Our most recent survey of mobile providers found 2degrees was the stand-out performer.