December 2005
Commission asks Interislander to stop fuel surcharge
23 December 2005
The Commerce Commission has asked the Interislander ferry service to stop advertising its fares with a separate three dollar per person "fuel surcharge", saying the company should be incorporating the cost of fuel into its overall prices.Relates to: Fair Trading
November 2005
TradeMe warned over unsafe cots
28 November 2005
TradeMe and five of its customers have been warned by the Commerce Commission about offering unsafe cots for sale over the internet-based trading site.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission settles with TelstraClear on unauthorised switching
24 November 2005
TelstraClear has agreed to change its approach to telemarketing and audit its compliance with the Fair Trading Act after a Commerce Commission investigation found that it had switched customers to the TelstraClear network without their consent. The practice is known as "unauthorised switching."Relates to: Fair Trading
Air New Zealand adverts misleading: Court
24 November 2005
Air New Zealand has been found guilty of breaching the Fair Trading Act by misleading customers about the real price of its airfares.Relates to: Fair Trading
Phone card adverts must show true costs of calls: Commission
21 November 2005
The Commerce Commission has reached a settlement with two Australian-based providers of prepaid calling cards, Cardcall Pty Ltd and Global Card Services Pty Ltd, after an investigation found that hidden costs and conditions meant customers were charged more for calls than they expected.Relates to: Fair Trading
Celluslim pill promoters to pay $256,000 in fines and refunds
9 November 2005
Misleading representations about "Celluslim", a purported weight loss and cellulite reduction product, have landed Dennis O'Neill and Martini Limited with $61,000 of fines and costs and a $195,000 refund bill.Relates to: Fair Trading
Lack of labelling lands trader with conviction
7 November 2005
A clothing importer and retailer received a $15,000 fine on Friday for contravening the consumer standards for country of origin, fibre content and care instruction labelling.Relates to: Fair Trading
Fake Manuka Honey trader's second prosecution
2 November 2005
A trader has been convicted for a second time for falsely labelling honey as UMF or Active Manuka honey.Relates to: Fair Trading
October 2005
Commission reminds retailers: new means new
20 October 2005
The Commerce Commission is reminding retailers that they can't sell used goods or demonstration models as new.Relates to: Fair Trading
Thousands to be compensated for Telecom Mobile clock fault
5 October 2005
The Commerce Commission has reached a settlement with Telecom Mobile Limited after a billing fault on the 027 network resulted in thousands of customers being charged peak rates for off-peak calls.Relates to: Fair Trading
September 2005
First car dealer prosecuted for lack of information cards
5 September 2005
Failing to display Supplier Information Notices on used vehicles cost Ladies Mile Cars Limited and its Director Mr Sam Alsabiry $3,140 following a hearing in the Auckland District Court.Relates to: Fair Trading
August 2005
Hot Water Bottle Safety Warning
29 August 2005
The Commerce Commission is warning people about hot water bottles which breach an unsafe goods notice and may not be safe to use.Relates to: Fair Trading
Telecom Mobile seriously misled customers, significant refunds likely
25 August 2005
The Court of Appeal has found that Telecom Mobile "seriously misled customers" in door-to-door and telemarketing campaigns, by failing to tell them about their rights under the Door to Door Sales Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Companies not a place to hide from the law
8 August 2005
Business people should remember that individuals as well as companies can be convicted under the Fair Trading Act, the Commission's Director of Fair Trading Deborah Battell said today.Relates to: Fair Trading
July 2005
Living Water quackery results in $136,000 payout
26 July 2005
Ecoworld NZ Ltd have been fined $60,000 in the Hamilton District Court today for misleading people about the benefits of a water "treatment" system that did nothing to change the water it treated.Relates to: Fair Trading
June 2005
Home Shop fined $12,000 for fake brand clothing
30 June 2005
Home Shop Ltd, which sells clothing and linen door-to-door from trucks, has been convicted and fined $12,000 for selling counterfeit clothing to an Auckland student.Relates to: Fair Trading
Harvey Norman fined for misleading customers
2 June 2005
National retailer Harvey Norman was fined $16,000 in the Manukau District Court yesterday for making misleading representations to consumers that resulted in customers paying higher instalments than they expected.Relates to: Fair Trading
May 2005
Potentially unsafe cigarette lighters may be on sale
27 May 2005
The Commerce Commission is warning the public and retailers that unsafe novelty cigarette lighters may be on sale to the public.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission requests voluntary recall of 'retro'-style bicycles
18 May 2005
The Commerce Commission is writing to bicycle importers and distributors nationwide requesting a voluntary recall of potentially unsafe 'retro'-style bicycles.Relates to: Fair Trading
Slingshot admits misleading consumers with advertising campaign
17 May 2005
Internet service provider Slingshot has accepted, in a settlement with the Commerce Commission, that its most recent television advertising campaign was liable to mislead consumers.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission issues warning on new chain letter
16 May 2005
"Bin it" is the strong advice from the Commerce Commission on a new chain letter promising enormous riches for practically no outlay.Relates to: Fair Trading
Empower fined $30,000 : businesses reminded that they are responsible for the actions of contracted agents
4 May 2005
Empower Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Contact Energy Ltd, has been fined $30,000 after pleading guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act in relation to misleading potential customers about Empower's prices and the need for services, and false or misleading representation that customers had agreed to acquire electricity from Empower. In the Auckland District Court, Judge O'Donovan fined Empower $6,000 and $130 court costs on each of the five charges.Relates to: Fair Trading
April 2005
Commerce Commission to charge Carter Holt Harvey for alleged breaches of the Fair Trading Act
29 April 2005
The Commerce Commission will file criminal proceedings against Carter Holt Harvey and six current and/or former managers following an investigation under the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Consumers should notice improved labels on winter duvets
18 April 2005
Consumers thinking about buying a new duvet this winter should be able to rely on clearer and more accurate labelling as they make their choice, says Commerce Commission Director of Fair Trading Deborah Battell.Relates to: Fair Trading
New Zealand victims of SkyBiz scam still able to claim redress
14 April 2005
New Zealand victims of an internet pyramid scam, SkyBiz.com, may still qualify to share in a US$20 million court-ordered redress fund with the original date for claims of 31 July 2004 being extended indefinitely for the foreseeable future.Relates to: Fair Trading
March 2005
Rubbish bin recommended for chain letter promising riches
24 March 2005
The Commerce Commission warns the public to ignore and bin a chain letter currently circulating in New Zealand, apparently initiated by Perth-man David Rhodes.Relates to: Fair Trading
Souvenir company and director fined a total of $35,000 for false UMF honey labels
18 March 2005
'Tomorrow Dream Line Limited' and its former director Sang Rae Kim were sentenced and fined $35,000 in the Auckland District Court today for breaching the Fair Trading Act by making false representations about the 'Unique Manuka Factor' (UMF) in honey sold through its Auckland Dream Line Souvenir shops and other tourist outlets and about who was packing the honey product supplied by the company.Relates to: Fair Trading
February 2005
Tony's Vineyard fined $3,000 for misleading and out of date website representations
24 February 2005
Waitakere based Tony's Vineyard Restaurant has been fined $3,000 plus $260 court costs in the Waitakere District Court after pleading guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act in relation to website promotion of its menu and prices.Relates to: Fair Trading
Telecom convicted for failure to disclose costs associated with telephone information service
23 February 2005
Failing to disclose a 12 cents per minute charge for calls made to an 08322 information line has cost Telecom New Zealand Limited more than $5,500 and a conviction under the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Internet Sweep: Spams, Scams and Scams by Spam
21 February 2005
Scams circulated by spam are the focus of a two day Commerce Commission internet sweep commencing today. The sweep contributes to a month-long international crackdown on spam by more than 20 enforcement agencies, organised by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN).Relates to: Fair Trading
Shackel Motor Company acknowledges misleading consumers
16 February 2005
Second hand car dealer K2 Motor Company, trading as Shackel Motor Company, acknowledges it made misleading representations about the price of vehicles offered for sale at its two Wellington car sale yards, and that it made misleading representations about the availability of gifts in print advertising.Relates to: Fair Trading
Progressive Enterprises Limited admits bicycle labelling breach
9 February 2005
An admission by Progressive Enterprises Limited that it breached the Fair Trading Act by selling partially assembled bicycles without the safety warnings and assembly instructions sends a warning to all retailers, the Commerce Commission Director of Fair Trading Deborah Battell said today.Relates to: Fair Trading
January 2005
Commission reminds businesses of obligation to clearly disclose holiday surcharge
20 January 2005
The Commerce Commission is reminding businesses that while charging a holiday surcharge is not illegal, failing to inform customers that a surcharge applies is.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission concerned about unsafe baby walkers
12 January 2005
The Commerce Commission is concerned that the safety of babies is being compromised by a sharp increase in the number of baby walkers being sold that do not comply with product safety standard regulations.Relates to: Fair Trading
