December 2007
Some "all day protection" sunscreens fail to live up to claims
20 December 2007
Commerce Commission test results obtained during an investigation into "all day protection" claims made for some sunscreen products have found that some live up to their claims, while others clearly do not.Relates to: Fair Trading
Oaks Hotels fined for 'grossly misleading' advertising campaign
20 December 2007
A hotel chain has pleaded guilty to eight charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act in a case that reinforces to businesses that advertising "conditions apply" is not sufficient to avoid misleading consumers where the main message of the advertising is misleading.Relates to: Fair Trading
Voluntary admission saves Kiwibank and New Zealand Post from prosecution
19 December 2007
Kiwibank and New Zealand Post have reached a settlement with the Commerce Commission in relation to a breach of the Fair Trading Act 1986 over a failure to adequately disclose overseas currency conversion fees in on-line customer statements for Prezzy Card.Relates to: Fair Trading
'Buyer enquiry' over should not mislead
12 December 2007
The Commerce Commission says real estate agents need to heed the warning contained in a recent court case relating to pricing practices to avoid breaching the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
West Auckland pawn broker ordered to repay loan customers
10 December 2007
Loan customers described by a Judge as some of the "more vulnerable and desperate members of society" are to get a partial refund from a pawn broker after a successful prosecution by the Commerce Commission.Relates to: Fair Trading, Consumer Credit
Second convictions for false and misleading claims about Probitas fertiliser
7 December 2007
A Waihi-based company that makes a fertiliser product has been convicted and fined for a second time for making misleading claims under the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
November 2007
Hill & Stewart guilty of 14 charges under Fair Trading Act
30 November 2007
An appliance retailer has been found guilty of charges under the Fair Trading Act 1986 for making claims that prices were interest free when in fact the prices were more expensive than the cash prices.Relates to: Fair Trading
Court injunction granted against Discount Premium Holidays
28 November 2007
A group of companies that has been telemarketing discount travel memberships and vouchers has been ordered to stop breaching the Fair Trading Act, as a result of an injunction sought by the Commerce Commission.Relates to: Fair Trading
ALT TV settles with Commerce Commission over text and competitions
26 November 2007
ALT TV, an independently owned television station based in Auckland, has settled with the Commerce Commission and agreed that not disclosing the cost of text messages, and misleading viewers over the nature of a prize offered in a competition, may have contravened sections 11 and 17 of the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Credit card users get over $24m back
22 November 2007
A sentencing in the Auckland District Court today has brought to a close three years of action by the Commerce Commission to expose and seek redress for undisclosed and inadequately disclosed overseas transaction fees.Relates to: Fair Trading
Discharge without conviction overturned
21 November 2007
The Commerce Commission has been successful in overturning the discharge without conviction of Naresh Shukla, Director of 230 Marua Limited, a leather furniture company.Relates to: Fair Trading
October 2007
Geneva Finance refunds customers after Commerce Commission investigation
29 October 2007
Geneva Finance Limited has refunded $588,114 to over 900 customers, following an out-of-court settlement with the Commerce Commission.Relates to: Fair Trading
Diners Club eighth to plead guilty over currency conversion fees
12 October 2007
Diners Club has become the eighth financial institution to plead guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by failing to properly disclose its currency conversion fees.Relates to: Fair Trading
September 2007
Companies warned over bacon and ham labelling
17 September 2007
The Commerce Commission has issued formal warnings to two companies as a result of its investigations into country of origin labelling for Kiwi Bacon and Premier Bacon and ham products.Relates to: Fair Trading
Jewellery trader convicted and fined over misleading advertising
12 September 2007
In the Auckland District Court yesterday Carrerabenz Diamond Industries Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act after it misled customers over the valuation prices of its jewellery.Relates to: Fair Trading
Seventh Bank to Plead Guilty - TSB to pay $471,000 over credit card fees
3 September 2007
TSB is the seventh major bank to plead guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by failing to properly disclose currency conversion fees paid by its credit card customers between 1 September 2002 and 19 December 2004. TSB customers paid fees of up to 1.75% of their total transactions that were not disclosed on their credit card statements.Relates to: Fair Trading
August 2007
Dell New Zealand admits breaches of Fair Trading Act
30 August 2007
In a settlement with the Commerce Commission, Dell New Zealand Limited has admitted breaching the Fair Trading Act in relation to a number of different representations made about its computers and computer monitors.
Relates to: Fair Trading
Test results confirm pyjamas met safety standards: Commission urges vigilance around fires and heaters
24 August 2007
The Commerce Commission today closed its investigation into The Warehouse 'Red Stamp' brand pyjamas after receiving test results confirming the nightwear complied with the product safety standards for children's nightwear.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commission settles with real estate company, agent and developer over misleading advertising
20 August 2007
The Commerce Commission has reached a settlement with Auckland-based Country Life Real Estate Limited, agent and shareholder Miles Wallace, and Avanti Developments Limited, after they admitted breaching the Fair Trading Act by incorrectly marketing and selling a property as a four bedroom home when building consent had only been obtained for a three bedroom home.Relates to: Fair Trading
Ezibuy's throws not pure mohair
8 August 2007
In a settlement reached with the Commerce Commission, Ezibuy has admitted that it has breached the Fair Trading Act by incorrectly advertising and selling an acrylic/mohair throw as a 'mohair throw' with 'pure mohair pile'.Relates to: Fair Trading
July 2007
The Warehouse Financial Services latest to refund hidden credit card fees
26 July 2007
The Commerce Commission has reached a settlement with The Warehouse Financial Services Limited which will see the company refund $120,000 to customers who paid hidden foreign exchange fees on the company's Value or Merit MasterCard cards.Relates to: Fair Trading
Used car dealers fined for not displaying information cards
8 July 2007
Six car dealers in the lower North Island have paid a total of $10,940 in fines and court costs after failing to display Supplier Information Notices or SIN cards on used cars for sale.Relates to: Fair Trading
June 2007
Christchurch retailer fined over unsafe wooden toys
21 June 2007
A retailer has been fined $12,000 over unsafe wooden toys sold by Notty Horse Wooden Toys in Christchurch's South City Mall. He was also required to pay $1,150 in costs to the Commission.Relates to: Fair Trading
Promoter fined over 'free' flights to Gold Coast
20 June 2007
A man who promoted 'free' flights deals to businesses has been fined $6,000 on a representative charge of breaching the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Leather furniture trader fined over 'sale' that wasn't
19 June 2007
An Auckland leather furniture company has been fined a total of $36,000 over misleading claims about the 'sale' price of furniture.Relates to: Fair Trading
ASB to pay $4.1 million over credit card fees
15 June 2007
ASB is the sixth major bank to plead guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by failing to properly disclose currency conversion fees paid by its credit card and debit card customers from March 2002 to March 2005. Customers paid fees of up to 2.35% of the total transaction.Relates to: Fair Trading
'Tender' car sales were not exempt from consumer law
11 June 2007
New Lynn company Park 2 Sell has been fined $15,000 for telling customers they weren't protected by the law because they had bought their car on a "tender" basis.Relates to: Fair Trading
$272,500 penalty for deceptive claims about Probitas fertiliser
1 June 2007
A fertiliser sold under the brand name Probitas did not offer the benefits claimed. The company Probitas Ltd has been fined $200,000 and man who sold it $60,000, in the Tauranga District Court for misleading the public. They have also been ordered to pay $12,499 in costs.Relates to: Fair Trading
May 2007
SkyBiz pyramid scheme victims repaid today
22 May 2007
New Zealand victims of a global pyramid scheme are today being sent their compensation from a U.S. $20 million fund set up to compensate victims worldwide.Relates to: Fair Trading
Kiwibank pleads guilty over credit card fees
16 May 2007
Kiwibank has become the fifth major bank to plead guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by failing to properly disclose currency conversion fees paid by its MasterCard cardholders. Customers paid fees of 2.6% of the total transaction.Relates to: Fair Trading, Consumer Credit
Commission alleges global cartel affected NZ electricity industry
16 May 2007
The High Court has granted the Commerce Commission leave to serve proceedings against three European companies for an alleged global cartel that affected the New Zealand electricity industry.Relates to: Fair Trading, Electricity
Nelson car dealer fined $15,000 for misleading car sales
7 May 2007
Nelson based The Car Company Limited has been fined $15,000 for five offences under the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
April 2007
Warning: Fair Guide update form may mislead
11 April 2007
New Zealanders are being warned about an Austrian company that is sending forms asking organisations to update their listing on the company's website "Fair Guide." The company targets organisations participating in trade fairs.Relates to: Fair Trading
Carter Holt Harvey executive fined over false timber labelling
10 April 2007
Retired Carter Holt Harvey executive Maurice Reid has been fined $20,000 for breaching the Fair Trading Act in the Auckland District Court today.Relates to: Fair Trading
March 2007
Ribena Vitamin C claims false and misleading: Court
27 March 2007
GlaxoSmithKline has pleaded guilty to 15 representative charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act by making misleading claims about the Vitamin C content of Ribena. The Commission investigated after a complaint from two college students who tested the drink for a science project.Relates to: Fair Trading
Ashley Guy Rhodes fined $20,000 for illegal invoicing
26 March 2007
Ashley Guy Rhodes has been fined $20,000 in the North Shore District Court for 47 charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act by sending false invoices.Relates to: Fair Trading
Christchurch trader fined $10,000 over unsafe baby walkers
21 March 2007
Insight Infotech Limited, trading as Azaks, has been fined $10,000 for selling unsafe baby walkers from its Christchurch stores.Relates to: Fair Trading
Fraud Awareness Month - Protect Your Computer
20 March 2007
"Think before you click" is one way to keep scammers out of your computer system advises the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and Commerce Commission, as part of this month's fraud awareness campaign.Relates to: Fair Trading
New Zealand SkyBiz scam victims - 30 March deadline for claiming refunds
15 March 2007
New Zealand victims of the internet pyramid scam, SkyBiz.com, are advised a final date has been set for claiming a refund from the US $20 million redress fund.Relates to: Fair Trading
Fraud Awareness Month Protect Your Phone
12 March 2007
Think that phone call or text message sounds like a scam? "Hang up or delete" is the advice today from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the Commerce Commission, as part of Fraud Awareness Month.Relates to: Fair Trading
Fraud Awareness Month - Don't let a scammer walk off with your wallet!
6 March 2007
As part of Fraud Awareness Month, the Commerce Commission and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs are sending a warning about the increasingly innovative techniques used by scammers to encourage consumers to hand over their money.Relates to: Fair Trading
January 2007
Commission investigates TMG Asia Pacific Pty Limited for 'text to enter' television promotion
15 January 2007
The Commerce Commission is investigating TMG Asia Pacific Pty Limited, an Australian based company, for alleged breaches of the Fair Trading Act from their promotions advertised on New Zealand television.Relates to: Fair Trading
Six car traders fined for lack of SINs
12 January 2007
Six motor vehicle traders have been fined more than $9,000, in total, for failing to display Supplier Information Notice (SIN) cards with used motor vehicles for sale. The traders, who were selling from car yards in Hamilton, Rotorua and Auckland, were fined up to $300 for each car that did not carry a card. Another Rotorua car trader - Growth Investments Ltd - has pleaded guilty and will appear in the Rotorua District Court in April 2007 for sentencing.Relates to: Fair Trading
Just $2 fined $12,000 for selling unsafe soft toys
11 January 2007
A Christchurch retailer was fined $12,000 in the Christchurch District Court today for selling unsafe soft toys. Southern Gold Limited, trading as Just $2, breached the product safety requirements of the Fair Trading Act by selling toys that did not comply with the Product Safety (Children's Toys) Regulations 2005.Relates to: Fair Trading
