Pensioners have welcomed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s action against the country’s largest funeral company, InvoCare, which was found to have allegedly misled its customers.
In January 2011, InvoCare changed its standard contract to require consumers to also purchase memorials from InvoCare for use at burial sites.
“InvoCare was fined $102,000 for requiring customers who had purchased a burial plot prior to January 2011 to abide by new contract conditions which formed no part of their original contract. This included forcing customers to buy InvoCare memorials or plaques,” said Charmaine Crowe, Senior Advisor Research & Advocacy for the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW.
“In other words, InvoCare was shifting the goalposts and consumers were being made to pay for goods that they had never agreed to in the first place.”
“It’s good to see that companies are held to account when they breach consumer law.”
“CPSA urges InvoCare customers who think that they may have been misled to contact InvoCare’s advice line on 1800 999 275.”
Information about the ACCC’s decision can be found .