CHOICE revealed its 2012 Shonky Awards on October 30th, highlighting 8 of the shonkiest products on the market. CHOICE’s annual Shonky awards recognises and reprimands misleading claims, false advertising, lack of transparency, faulty goods and/or poor service.
This year CHOICE may have a valuable new ally in the fight against shonky goods in NSW Minister for Fair Trading, Anthony Roberts. A release on NSW Fair Trading website indicates it is exploring four of the products singled out by CHOICE.
Liquipel has been sent a substantiation notice to justify its claims of waterproofing phones and computers.
Nature’s Way Kids Smart Natural Medicines have been referred to the ACCC, with assistance offered by Fair Trading regarding misleading claims for their products.
The Samsung SW70SP washing machine was incorrectly advertised according to CHOICE, and the office of Fair Trading has written to Samsung requesting an explanation.
And Fair Trading has ordered Jetset Travelworld Group to discontinue the contract terms and conditions it utilises in many of its travel contracts, as they reduce the protection available to consumers where travel services are not provided including by removing consumers’ right to claim a chargeback from their credit card company.
It is a very positive development to see the Minister using the regulator’s new Australian Consumer Law powers to follow up suspected breaches, and consumers will look forward to it continuing.