Latest from Consumer Information

Mod cons cost less, last longer

High-tech household appliances are increasingly making life easier for Kiwis.

Airbag fault spurs Toyota recall

Toyota is recalling more than 26,000 New Zealand vehicles over a possible airbag fault.

Sunbeds fail safety checks

Undercover surveillance of tanning salons has found nearly half failed to implement key safety checks, a new study shows.

Cheaper travel contributes to lower CPI

Intense competition and more airline services have led to sharp falls in prices that are now being reflected in the latest consumer price index.

Paint job is always a winner

In the booming Auckland property market, most money put into renovations will add to a house's value. But spend well and you could get up to $4 back for every $1 spent.

Tobacco tax edges out deflation

Were it not for the annual increase in the tax on tobacco the consumers price index would have recorded outright deflation for the year to March.

Safety net to curb loan sharks

Upmarket stores sold alcohol to minors

The two branches of upmarket supermarket chain Farro Fresh that had their liquor licences suspended had sold alcohol to minors.

Gen Y ruin more clothes

Generation Y ruin more clothing than their parents and are more likely to use a dirty washing machine, a survey published today shows.

NZ banks outscore Oz in survey

Kiwi-owned banks are well ahead of their Aussie counterparts, according to a new customer satisfaction survey - and their bosses say they're not surprised.

Gary Mortimer: The next food trend - Inglorious baskets of knobbly fruit and veg

Consumer-driven food trends are nothing new. "Organics", gluten-free and others have all captured consumers, encouraging supermarkets around the globe to respond.

All is fair in love and nappy war

Prices of nappies have fallen so sharply that one retailer estimates combined discounts from its stores alone will top $1m over the next year.

Consumers buoyant after fuel, rate drop

Consumer confidence has strengthened over the past three months, the Westpac McDermott Miller survey found, thanks to a rebound in rural New Zealand.

Expert says taxing online buys hard

Lowering the threshold is easy but tax take for small items may not to be worth it.

Sam Judd: 'My most hated products are coffee pods'

Coffee pods use already-ground coffee, meaning that it is not as fresh, writes Sam Judd. They are also an environmental disaster.

Online toy retailer investigated

An Auckland-based online toy seller is being investigated by the Commerce Commission after failing to deliver orders to customers on both sides of the Tasman.