December 1999
Importer fined $6,000 after not honouring settlement, and importing 3,600 unsafe babies' rattles
3 December 1999
The Otahuhu District Court today fined importer Geeta Trading Company Limited $6,000 plus $390 costs for importing 3,600 babies rattles that broke easily and were a choking and inhalation hazard.Relates to: Fair Trading
November 1999
Disappointing Fair Trading compliance by furniture retailers: four prosecutions, more may follow
16 November 1999
The Commerce Commission sees furniture retailers' compliance with the Fair Trading Act as poor, it is prosecuting two retailers, is preparing prosecutions against two more and more court action may follow.Relates to: Fair Trading
Mothercare fined $4,000 after not honouring settlement: clothing did not meet fire safety and care labelling standards
11 November 1999
The Auckland District Court yesterday fined Greenbark Enterprises Limited, which trades as Mothercare New Zealand, $4,000 plus $550 costs for selling children's night clothes that did not meet the fire safety standard and other clothing that did not meet the care labelling standard.Relates to: Fair Trading
October 1999
Hamilton businesses to meet Commerce Commission and Ministry of Consumer Affairs
11 October 1999
The Commerce Commission is throwing off its enforcement hat this week in favour of friendly visits to educate Hamilton traders. They will be joined by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission travel industry action continues, court fines Budget Travel $8,000
5 October 1999
Commerce Commission action in the travel industry has continued with Judge Graeme Noble in the Christchurch District Court fining Gullivers Pacific Group Limited, trading as Budget Travel, $8,000 for breaching the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
First Fair Trading Case in Nelson
1 October 1999
Autoworld Richmond Limited yesterday pleaded guilty to five charges laid under the Fair Trading Act in the Nelson District Court. Judge Tuohy fined the company a total of $8,000.Relates to: Fair Trading
September 1999
Southern Cross and Aetna to pay reimbursements of more than one hundred thousand dollars, rewrite policies and pay costs
14 September 1999
The Commerce Commission has settled court action against Southern Cross Medical Care Society and Aetna Health (NZ) Limited after the health insurance companies agreed to pay reimbursements of more than one hundred thousand dollars to affected policy holders, rewrite the relevant policies and pay $5,000 towards the Commission's legal costs.Relates to: Fair Trading
Wairarapa businesses to meet Commerce Commission and Ministry of Consumer Affairs
3 September 1999
The Commerce Commission and Ministry of Consumer Affairs will be visiting the Wairarapa on Tuesday September 7 to Wednesday September 8 to visit shops and businesses to discuss the Fair Trading and Consumer Guarantees Acts and other consumer protection issues.Relates to: Fair Trading
August 1999
Commission seizes gemstones linked to pyramid scheme
31 August 1999
The Commerce Commission has seized emeralds and other gemstones worth several hundred thousand dollars from a Tauranga company, Hot Ice International Limited.Relates to: Fair Trading
157 retailers warned they risk breaching lighter standard, distributors and manufacturers being investigated
19 August 1999
The Commerce Commission has warned 157 retailers that they risk breaching the product safety standard for cigarette lighters and is investigating some distributors and manufacturers of cigarette lighters.Relates to: Fair Trading
Injunctions stop Maximus pyramid scheme, freeze bank accounts
5 August 1999
The Commerce Commission has obtained interim injunctions stopping the operation of an alleged pyramid scheme, Maximus Intermediaries Limited, and freezing its bank accounts.Relates to: Fair Trading
Fine print: We will give you a loan for a fee of up to only $500*
4 August 1999
This example of fine print in advertising is real. It is from one of the Commerce Commission cases being discussed tomorrow at a seminar about advertising regulation, being run by the Commission and the advertising industry.Relates to: Fair Trading
July 1999
Commerce Commission and Fire Service to check lighters at shops tomorrow
21 July 1999
The Commerce Commission and the Fire Service will visit shops tomorrow (Thursday July 22) to check that cigarette lighters are child resistant.Relates to: Fair Trading
"Pureit" water filters not so pure:Giardia and Cryptosporidium pass through filter
19 July 1999
The importer of "Pureit" water filters, Beasam Holdings Limited, has admitted that its advertising included incorrect statements and was liable to be misleading because the filters do not remove Giardia and Cryptosporidium.Relates to: Fair Trading
June 1999
FAI Home Security fined $10,000 for false claims that security guards would respond to home alarms
27 June 1999
FAI Home Security Holdings New Zealand Limited was fined $10,000 in the New Plymouth District Court on Friday after it admitted making false claims that security guards would attend rural Taranaki properties if home burglar alarms were activated.Relates to: Fair Trading
May 1999
Hill & Stewart's second Fair Trading conviction this year: disclose all costs of credit
30 May 1999
The second Fair Trading Act conviction this year for retail chain Hill & Stewart Appliances Limited is a warning to all businesses offering hire purchase agreements: if they advertise interest rates they must show all additional costs.Relates to: Fair Trading
Court imposes highest fine to date and highest possible compensation order against Lisa Morton in pyramid case
28 May 1999
The Napier District Court today imposed a total fine of $ 30,000 and the highest compensation order a District Court can make, $200,000, when it sentenced Lisa Sharon Morton for running two pyramid schemes.Relates to: Fair Trading
Lisa Morton convicted of pyramid selling
6 May 1999
Judge Adeane convicted Lisa Morton in the Napier District Court this afternoon on two charges laid under section 24 of the Fair Trading Act 1986 for promoting two pyramid schemes, Joker 88 and Liberty Group Bonds.Relates to: Fair Trading
"Gluten free" bread mix contained gluten
5 May 1999
As part of a settlement with the Commerce Commission NZ Bakels Limited will relabel its "Gluten Free Bread Mix" and write to all its clients because the mix contains gluten.Relates to: Fair Trading
April 1999
Blenheim businesses to hear about new cigarette lighter safety standard and consumer law
23 April 1999
The Commerce Commission and Ministry of Consumer Affairs will be visiting Blenheim businesses on Tuesday April 27 to Wednesday April 28 to discuss the new cigarette lighter safety standard and other consumer protection issues.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission steps up action against pyramid selling
18 April 1999
The Commerce Commission is stepping up its enforcement action against pyramid selling schemes and more prosecutions are likely.Relates to: Fair Trading
March 1999
More small print problems – 24 cases in just over a year
25 March 1999
More Commerce Commission action against small print highlights this is still a Fair Trading Act problem.Relates to: Fair Trading
Telecom admits cellphone ads breached Fair Trading Act
7 March 1999
In a settlement with the Commerce Commission, Telecom New Zealand Limited has admitted that in 1998 a number of its cellphone advertisements breached the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
February 1999
South Auckland businesses to meet Commerce Commission and Ministry of Consumer Affairs
25 February 1999
The Commerce Commission and Ministry of Consumer Affairs will be visiting South Auckland on Monday March 1 to Wednesday March 3 to discuss the Fair Trading and Consumer Guarantees Acts and other consumer protection issues.Relates to: Fair Trading
January 1999
Old phones for new? Retailer admits cordless phones were second-hand
20 January 1999
Retail chain Hill & Stewart Appliances Limited admitted in the Auckland District Court today that its promotion of Sanyo cordless telephones failed to clearly disclose that the telephones were second-hand and was therefore misleading and breached the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
