December 2009
Flight Centre warned over advertising and promotion
22 December 2009
The Commerce Commission has warned a travel agency that some of its advertising and promotions of travel deals risk breaching the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Holiday voucher company pleads guilty to Fair Trading Act breaches
15 December 2009
Discount Premium Holidays Limited, a New Zealand registered company that operated from Australia selling holiday vouchers in New Zealand, has pleaded guilty to 38 charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act and has been fined $209,000 in the Auckland District Court today. Discount Premium Holidays has also been ordered to pay $4,940 in court costs and $7,500 in solicitor's fees.Relates to: Fair Trading, Business Competition
Telecom fined $500,000 for misleading over Go Large plan
7 December 2009
Telecom New Zealand Limited has pleaded guilty to 17 charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act over claims made in 2006 when promoting Xtra's Go Large broadband plan. Telecom has been fined $500,000 in the Auckland District Court today.Relates to: Fair Trading, Telecommunications
November 2009
Supreme Court allows Commerce Commission appeal
27 November 2009
A Supreme Court judgment issued today allows the Commerce Commission to proceed with a significant compensation claim against Carter Holt Harvey related to mis-graded timber. The Supreme Court has overturned a previous Court of Appeal ruling that the Commission had filed proceedings against Carter Holt Harvey outside of the limitation period allowed by the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Inghams warned over GM free chicken claims
18 November 2009
Release no 50, Issued 18 November 2009
Relates to: Fair Trading
Fourth property management company fined for Fair Trading Act breaches
18 November 2009
A fourth company involved in an Invercargill scheme which misled people into believing that they were buying their own homes has been convicted of eight charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act in a hearing in the Invercargill District Court today.Relates to: Fair Trading
Juice company pleads guilty to breaching Fair Trading Act
12 November 2009
Brownlie Brothers Limited trading as Simply Squeezed, a juice manufacturing and distribution company pleaded guilty to six charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act and was fined $45,000 in the District Court in Auckland today. An order for court costs and solicitors fees of $6,780 was also made by the Court in respect of the charges.Relates to: Fair Trading
October 2009
Warning for importing unsafe toy tool set
22 October 2009
An Auckland-based importer has been warned by the Commerce Commission that a toy tool set imported from China and sold in budget variety stores may have breached an unsafe goods notice relating to levels of lead in children's toys. Anyone in possession of one of these toy sets is advised to dispose of them immediately.Relates to: Fair Trading
Electricity company fined for misleading power bill review
16 October 2009
An energy company has pleaded guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act and has been fined $17,000 in the Tauranga District Court on Wednesday. TrustPower, an electricity generator and retailer, was fined for misleading its customers about the nature of a power bill review service.Relates to: Fair Trading
Franchise prosecution welcomed
16 October 2009
The Commerce Commission has welcomed the conviction and sentencing today of Stewart John Brown and Robert Llewelyn Parr. Mr Brown and Mr Parr both pleaded guilty to Crimes Act charges of obtaining by false pretences and obtaining by deception in relation to franchise companies Wizard Vapour Technology Ltd and Clean Co International Limited. In the Christchurch District Court today Mr Brown was sentenced to nine months home detention and ordered to pay $24,000 reparation, which is to be paid at the rate of $300 per week. Mr Parr was sentenced to four months community detention and 150 hours community work.Relates to: Fair Trading
August 2009
Property management companies fined for Fair Trading Act breaches
27 August 2009
Three South Island companies involved in a scheme which misled people into believing that they were buying their own homes pleaded guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act in the Invercargill District Court on 24 August.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commerce Commission settles with pawnbroker over interest rate misrepresentations
11 August 2009
The Commerce Commission has settled with an Invercargill based pawnbroker over breaches of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCF Act) and the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading, Consumer Credit
July 2009
Op Shop operator ordered to pay reparation for Fair Trading breach
24 July 2009
A Palmerston North man has pleaded guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act by misleading consumers about the nature of a charity shop. He was ordered yesterday by the Palmerston District Court to pay $10,000 in reparation to two women's refuges.Relates to: Fair Trading
Guidelines on carbon claims and the Fair Trading Act released
24 July 2009
The Commerce Commission has today released guidelines which inform businesses about their obligations surrounding carbon offset and neutrality claims and how they are affected by the Fair Trading Act.Relates to: Fair Trading
Court confirms Wings and Wheels funds held on trust
22 July 2009
A judge in the Auckland High Court confirmed yesterday that the money paid for tickets to the postponed airshow Wings and Wheels over Waikato was being held on trust by the airshow's organisers and that the money should be used to pay refunds to entitled ticket holders. This clears the way to begin a process to refund eligible ticket holders.Relates to: Fair Trading
Yan fruit 'juice' products voluntarily recalled
20 July 2009
A distributor of a range of imported products marketed as fruit juice has agreed to recall all their products after tests as part of a Commerce Commission investigation found that at least two of the products had inaccurate labels.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commerce Commission takes action against juice company
17 July 2009
The Commerce Commission has concluded an investigation into the promotion and labelling of juice products by Brownlie Brothers Limited trading as Simply Squeezed, a juice manufacturing and distribution company.Relates to: Fair Trading
June 2009
Update on Commerce Commission investigation into ING
24 June 2009
The Commerce Commission's investigation under the Fair Trading Act into ING (NZ) Limited's Diversified Yield and Regular Income Funds is not expected to be completed for at least six months.Relates to: Fair Trading
Furniture store fined for Fair Trading Act breaches
22 June 2009
A furniture store has pleaded guilty to 28 charges of breaching the Fair Trading Act by providing misleading information about the savings that consumers would make by buying goods on sale. The company has been fined $28,000 plus court costs of $3,640in the Manukau District Court.Relates to: Fair Trading
Farmers fined for Fair Trading breach
22 June 2009
A New Zealand department store chain has been found guilty of breaching the Fair Trading Act and was fined $10,000 in the Christchurch District Court today.Relates to: Fair Trading
Voluntary recall of Mary Lou wooden toy
19 June 2009
A distributor of the Mary Lou doll, an iconic New Zealand wooden toy, is undertaking a voluntary recall of all Mary Lou dolls sold in New Zealand since 1 June 2008.Relates to: Fair Trading
Assembled in New Zealand not enough to claim 'New Zealand made'
8 June 2009
Another New Zealand office furniture company has been fined for breaching the Fair Trading Act for claiming in advertising brochures that two models of office chairs were made in New Zealand.Relates to: Fair Trading
May 2009
Medical Mortgages Limited settles with Commerce Commission
29 May 2009
The Commerce Commission has settled with a company that specialises in providing finance to medical professionals over the incorrect calculation of mortgage break fees.Relates to: Fair Trading
April 2009
Update on Commerce Commission bank break fees investigation
30 April 2009
The Commerce Commission has completed the first part of its investigation into banks' break fees.Relates to: Fair Trading, Consumer Credit
March 2009
Raise your IQ by being an informed consumer
27 March 2009
Consumers who respond to online IQ tests and love compatibility tests should be sure they have read the fine print.Relates to: Fair Trading
Commerce Commission consults on draft guidelines on carbon claims
3 March 2009
The Commerce Commission has today released draft guidelines which inform businesses about their obligations surrounding carbon offset and neutrality claims and how they are affected by the Fair Trading Act. The Commission is seeking feedback on the guidelines before they are finalised.Relates to: Fair Trading
Xtra fined for false claims of endorsement by Commerce Commission
3 March 2009
Xtra Ltd, a division of Telecom New Zealand Ltd, has been found guilty of breaching the Fair Trading Act and has been fined $45,000 in the Wellington District Court today. Xtra must also pay $10,000 in costs.Relates to: Fair Trading, Telecommunications
Commerce Commission warns about fakes
2 March 2009
The Commerce Commission is cautioning consumers to be alert after issuing more than 70 warnings relating to the sale of possible counterfeit clothing and footwear on the Trade Me website. The traders have been warned that they risk committing an offence under the Fair Trading Act if they are selling or offering for sale goods that are not genuinely manufactured 'labelled' items.
Relates to: Fair Trading
February 2009
The Warehouse fined $209,600 for Fair Trading Act breaches
27 February 2009
One of New Zealand's biggest retail stores has pleaded guilty to multiple breaches of the Fair Trading Act and has been fined a total of $209,600 in the Auckland District Court today.Relates to: Fair Trading
January 2009
Commerce Commission warns over hybrid comparative advertising
21 January 2009
A car company has been warned by the Commerce Commission about comparative claims made in advertising for one of its hybrid vehicles.
Relates to: Fair Trading
Commerce Commission warns KLM over incorrect internet fares
16 January 2009
The Commerce Commission has concluded its investigation into complaints received from consumers when KLM Royal Dutch Airlines declined to honour very cheap airfares booked via KLM's website. In the Commission's view, KLM is at risk of having breached the Fair Trading Act.
Relates to: Fair Trading
Company fined for 'energised' water claims
13 January 2009
Misleading customers by claiming its product was '100% Pure New Zealand Mineral Water' and making false scientific claims about the benefits of its supposedly 'energised mineral water', which was really just processed tap water, has cost an Auckland-based company after it was prosecuted by the Commerce Commission.
Relates to: Fair Trading
