Consumer NZ

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“Retirement village residents or their families can be left in financial dire straits when they have to wait too long to get their own money back – it’s not fair, and it needs to be fixed,” says Jon Duffy, Consumer NZ chief executive. “Residents pay big money to live in a village. When they leave, they get their money back minus a management fee of up to 30%.

Consumer NZ analysis of the April 1 electricity price rises shows large differences around the country, and those getting hit the hardest can least afford it. “The impact of the increases vary across the country,” says Paul Fuge, Manager of Powerswitch. “In the Far North we found annual cost increases in the range of $140 to $420. While in Wellington, the same household can expect an annual increase of $102 - $305.,” says Fuge.

By Chris Schulz Investigative Journalist | Kaipūrongo Whakatewhatewha As the war in Iran continues to affect global fuel supplies, everyone seems to have questions about how it is impacting New Zealand. How high will petrol prices get? When might they start going down? How will they impact you? And are fuel companies price gouging? Here are the answers to all the questions that have landed in Consumer NZ’s inbox so far.

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By Bryan Wall Product Test Journalist | Kaipūrongo Whakamātautau Hautaonga With the spiralling costs of fuel, you may be looking at alternative ways of commuting to work. You could hop on the bus and doom scroll for 20 minutes, or you could consider investing in an e-bike. An e-bike offers freedom along with a health boost. But which bikes will have you racing out of bed for the joy of riding to work, and which will have you reaching for that bus pass again?

“Air New Zealand has announced it will be cutting over a thousand flights in the coming weeks because of rising fuel costs. While most travellers will be rebooked onto same-day flights, we want people to know that if that new flight doesn’t suit them, they can choose not to take it and ask for their money back instead,” says Jon Duffy, chief executive of Consumer.

Air New Zealand announced on Thursday morning that the airline would be cutting 1,100 flights because of increasing fuel costs. It comes just two days after Consumer NZ presented our petition calling for regulations that would force airlines to tell people about their rights when flights are disrupted. The airline’s CEO Nikhil Ravishankar said most passengers affected by the flight cancellations will be moved to flights on the same day.

Consumer has released findings from its latest car reliability and satisfaction survey, representing responses from 5,791 members and supporters collected in November and December 2025. “This survey canvassed car owner experiences, providing insights into preferred engines, brand performance, reliability and overall owner satisfaction,” says Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy.

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