December 2006
Car finance provider to refund $12,000
21 December 2006
An Auckland company that provides finance to car buyers, Falcon Advances Limited, will refund over $12,000 to 143 customers who bought vehicles from Auckland car yards between April 2005 and February 2006.Relates to: Fair Trading, Consumer Credit
TradeMe car dealer fined for lack of SINs
20 December 2006
An Auckland motor vehicle trader has been fined $6400 in the Auckland District Court for failing to supply Supplier Information Notices (SINs) on cars offered for sale on TradeMe.Relates to: Fair Trading
Trader fined for clothes without proper labelling
19 December 2006
An Auckland children's wear retailer was fined $7000 in the Manukau District Court on Friday for selling clothing without the correct labelling.Relates to: Fair Trading
The Mill Liquorsave fined $10,000 for misleading flyer
12 December 2006
The Mill Liquorsave was fined $10,000 in the New Plymouth District Court on Friday 8 December for breaching the Fair Trading Act with a promotional flyer offering a free Tui footy windbreaker with selected packs of Tui beer.Relates to: Fair Trading
November 2006
Successful first prosecution under CCCF Act
15 November 2006
In the first prosecution under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, Senate Finance Limited, which provides finance to the customers of car dealers, has been fined $59,000 for giving customers terms and conditions they could not read. Seventeen affected customers were also awarded a total of $13,700 in statutory damages.Relates to: Fair Trading, Consumer Credit
October 2006
Home insulation must meet claim on label, warns Commission
27 October 2006
The manufacturers of Pink Batts and GreenStuf insulation products have been warned that they may have breached the Fair Trading Act because their insulation failed to meet the quality level claimed on packaging.Relates to: Fair Trading
Energy Online pays $1 million for misleading price freeze
16 October 2006
Electricity retailer Energy Online broke the law when it claimed Hawke's Bay and Waitemata customers were on a "price freeze," but still increased prices, the District Court has found.Relates to: Fair Trading
Record settlement returns $3.3 million to Telecom customers
12 October 2006
An out-of-court settlement reached by the Commerce Commission and Telecom will return around $3.3 million to customers after a billing fault saw them charged twice.Relates to: Fair Trading
Carter Holt Harvey fined $900,000 for falsely labelling timber
12 October 2006
In a case the Commission considers one of its most serious prosecutions to date, Carter Holt Harvey has pleaded guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by selling timber that did not meet the grade claimed on packaging.Relates to: Fair Trading
Qantas fined $380,000 over misleading adverts
10 October 2006
Qantas has pleaded guilty to 122 charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act and been ordered to pay $380,000 in fines and $15,860 in costs in the Auckland District Court.Relates to: Fair Trading
Westpac to pay $5.1 million over credit card fees, Kiwibank joins list of companies facing charges
2 October 2006
Westpac has become the fourth major bank to plead guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by failing to properly disclose fees charged for overseas currency transactions on its credit and debit cards. The company pleaded guilty to 19 charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
September 2006
Timaru car dealer fined $8,000 over damaged BMW
4 September 2006
Timaru car dealer Lincoln Darren, of Mike Darren Motors, has pleaded guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act and been fined $8,000 in the Timaru District Court.Relates to: Fair Trading
August 2006
IAG fined $127,000 over State Insurance windscreen repairs
31 August 2006
IAG, the largest motor vehicle insurer in New Zealand and the parent company of State Insurance and NZI, has pleaded guilty to 30 breaches of the Fair Trading Act and has been fined $127,000 in the District Court in Auckland.Relates to: Fair Trading
Car dealer fined for 'free' flight to Gold Coast promotion
29 August 2006
An Auckland car dealer who offered customers a "free" flight to the Gold Coast if they bought a car has pleaded guilty of breaching the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Australian pie maker warned about meat content
24 August 2006
Australian pie maker Mrs Mac's has been warned by the Commerce Commission after testing found its meat pies did not have as much meat in them as their packaging claimed.Relates to: Fair Trading
Real estate agent should have told buyers about apartment building planned for next door: Commission
11 August 2006
A Hamilton real estate agent who sold a property described as "out of the hustle and bustle" should have told buyers that an apartment complex was going to be built next door, the Commerce Commission said in a formal warning today.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission warns public about domain registration invoices
8 August 2006
The Commerce Commission is warning New Zealand businesses about a mass mail-out by an Australian-based business trading as NZ Domain Registration Ltd.Relates to: Fair Trading
Publishing schedule agreed by Commission
3 August 2006
The Commerce Commission and an Auckland publisher have agreed to a publishing and delivery schedule that will see customers receive the books they have paid for.Relates to: Fair Trading
July 2006
Telecom Mobile fails to give credit where credit due
21 July 2006
Telecom Mobile Limited has been fined $45,000 and ordered to pay over $3,000 in costs in the Wellington District Court today for breaching sections 11 and 13(g) of the Fair Trading Act, after misleading customers about a new mobile phone deal.Relates to: Fair Trading
As is where is car sales not exempt from consumer law: car dealer pays $52,160 for misleading customers
19 July 2006
An Auckland car dealer who told customers they weren't protected by the law because they had bought their car on a "tender" basis has been fined $48,000 for misleading buyers about their rights. He has also been ordered to pay $4,160 in costs.Relates to: Fair Trading
BNZ pleads guilty over card fees: $5 million in compensation, $550,000 fine
18 July 2006
The BNZ has become the third major bank to plead guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by failing to properly disclose fees charged for overseas currency transactions on its credit and debit cards. The company pleaded guilty to 21 representative charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
$792,000 payout for false claims about Body Enhancer potion
13 July 2006
Zenith Corporation, which sold and promoted the discredited "weight loss" product Body Enhancer will pay $792,000 in fines, costs and corrective advertising. The company was sentenced in the Auckland District Court today for offences under the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
June 2006
Parallel importer snapped over price discrepancies
19 June 2006
An Auckland parallel importer was fined $3,000 in the Auckland District Court on Thursday for advertising digital cameras at cheaper prices than they were available in store.Relates to: Fair Trading
Kathmandu finds out the true cost of sale items
19 June 2006
Kathmandu was fined $28,000 plus costs in the Auckland District Court today for breaching the Fair Trading Act by advertising goods as being "on sale" when they had been available at the discounted price for months prior to the sale and, in some cases, when they were also available at the same "sale" price afterwards.Relates to: Fair Trading
Air New Zealand fined $600,000 for misleading customers, agrees move to all-inclusive advertising
16 June 2006
Air New Zealand has been ordered to pay $600,000 in fines and nearly $65,000 in costs after the Commerce Commission prosecuted the airline for misleading customers about the real price of its airfares.Relates to: Fair Trading
Organic means 100% organic, and fresh means 100% fresh
15 June 2006
In the second case of its kind, an Auckland butcher has been fined for falsely labelling products as certified organic when they were not.Relates to: Fair Trading
May 2006
Fake organics land butcher with meaty $10,000 fine
30 May 2006
In a first for the Commerce Commission, a butcher has been fined for falsely labelling products as certified organic when they were not. Jason Arthars and Clark's Organic Butchery Ltd were fined a total of $10,000 ($5,000 for Arthars and $5,000 for the company) in the Waitakere District Court today for falsely suggesting the company was certified by New Zealand's principal certification agencies.Relates to: Fair Trading
Roadside car dealer finds non-compliance stalls trading
15 May 2006
A motor dealer has been fined over $8,500 in the Christchurch District Court today for lying about the age of cars he was selling and failing to provide purchasers with Supplier Information Notice (SIN) cards. He also agreed to pay over $1,400 in reparations to people who had bought cars from him and had to repair faults.Relates to: Fair Trading
If it ain't broke, fix it anyway policy costs appliance shop $20,000
3 May 2006
A home appliance business and its owner have been fined more than $20,000 after employees were instructed to tell lie about the age of second hand appliances and recommend unnecessary repairs.Relates to: Fair Trading
April 2006
Ross Investments fined for misleading offer to investors
20 April 2006
An Australian investment company and its Director have been fined a total of $24,000 for misleading claims made when trying to buy capital bonds and units from New Zealand investors.Relates to: Fair Trading
March 2006
ANZ National Bank pleads guilty over credit card fees: $10 million in refunds, record $1.325 million fine
30 March 2006
The ANZ National Bank Limited has pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court to 45 charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act by failing to properly disclose fees charged for overseas currency transactions on its credit cards.Relates to: Fair Trading
Fraud Awareness Month - Phishing for your funds
17 March 2006
"May I steal your bank account details and money, please?" We all know exactly how to respond to a question like this, no matter how genuine or polite the caller sounded.
Relates to: Fair Trading
Fraud Awareness Month - Won a prize in a lottery you didn't enter? It's a scam
3 March 2006
As part of Fraud Awareness Month, the Commerce Commission and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs are warning New Zealand consumers to be on the lookout for lottery and prize scams.
Relates to: Fair Trading
February 2006
Commission settles with Stoke Radio and Television
9 February 2006
The Commerce Commission has reached a settlement with Stoke Radio and Television Limited in regards to the promotion of gifts and prizes during 2004.
Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission and Road Transport Forum agree stance on fuel surcharges
3 February 2006
Following a recent meeting with the Road Transport Forum on the use of fuel surcharges, the Commerce Commission and the Road Transport Forum have achieved a common understanding on how prices should be represented.
Relates to: Fair Trading
January 2006
Fuel costs must be included in prices: Commission
25 January 2006
The Commerce Commission is warning businesses that they must include the cost of fuel in their prices and not add it as a "surcharge" or fuel charge.
Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission appeals Air New Zealand fare advertising ruling
9 January 2006
The Commerce Commission has filed an appeal in the Auckland High Court in relation to Air New Zealand's advertising of fares.
Relates to: Fair Trading
