Table of contents for December - January 2025 in CHOICE

The federal government is pushing ahead with an overhaul of Australia’s merger laws, saying it wants the ACCC to investigate every takeover in the supermarket sector. The competition regulator has welcomed the introduction of the legislation into parliament, saying the new rules will help it identify and prevent anti-competitive acquisitions in all parts of the economy. The government’s plan is to require businesses to notify the ACCC when they’re planning a merger that exceeds any one of three key thresholds. These are based on the turnover of the businesses or assets involved, and will ensure the regulator is kept abreast of big companies buying smaller ones and serial acquisitions, among other developments. The government will adjust these thresholds to allow the ACCC to investigate all mergers it’s concerned about. In…

The cost of filling up our cars is driving a lot of financial stress. In our January 2024 Consumer Pulse survey of Australians, 81% of households said they were concerned about the cost of fuel. Bowser prices are often well out of our control, dictated by global cartels, fluctuations in the exchange rate and opaque retail strategies, among other factors. But there are ways you can make significant savings on fuel. Here are our key tips for paying less at the pump. “Changing your driving style is one of the most effective ways to improve your car’s fuel economy,” 1 Think about how you drive Are you guilty of being a little heavy-footed on the accelerator? Easing back on the pedal is just one of a range of practices you…

Sometimes doing the grocery shopping and cooking meals from scratch just isn’t an option. You might be juggling work and study, at home with a new baby, recovering from an illness or simply time-poor. Maybe you’re sick of trying to decide what’s for dinner week in and week out. Or maybe cooking just isn’t your thing. You could settle for eating toast or takeaways, or you could use a meal delivery service: either a food box with pre-measured ingredients and recipes to cook yourself, or prepared meals delivered fresh or frozen to your door. Fiona Mair, CHOICE home economist and one of our testers, found a lot to recommend in the meal delivery services we tested. “Food box or meal kit services such as HelloFresh and QuiteLike are predominantly marketed…

It’s a sad moment when you unload your dishwasher only to find bits of grime still stuck to plates or less-than-sparkling glasses. If you’re seeing shoddy results from your dishwasher and you’re confident you don’t just have a poorly performing model, dirty filters or poor stacking technique, perhaps your detergent is to blame. The amount of money you spend on dishwasher detergent over the life of your dishwasher is equal to the cost of the actual dishwasher, so it’s worth your while making sure you’re choosing a detergent that’s up to the task. While tablets and pods tend to be more expensive, they outperform powder in our tests But with an overwhelming number of products available on the supermarket shelves, all promising to deliver cups and plates so clean you…

Lost without your smartphone? A dying phone battery can be all sorts of stressful, especially if you’re counting on it to stay connected – and especially while travelling. So if you’re in the market for a new phone, and you have plans to travel over the summer break, good battery life is one factor that should rate high on your priority list. Other factors you’ll want to carefully consider when buying a smartphone that you intend to take on the road, to the beach or abroad include GPS performance, durability and camera performance. Use the tables (p67–68) to compare these criteria and more across the latest premium smartphones. And read on for our advice for getting more out of your smartphone on holidays. Power moves If you’re in the habit…

In October, the government announced plans to make two big changes that will make Australia’s consumer protections even stronger – a new law banning unfair business practices, and penalties for businesses that unfairly refuse to honour consumers’ rights to a refund, repair or replacement. A ban on unfair business practices could cover a range of tricks and traps such as dynamic ticket pricing, costly gym memberships that are almost impossible to cancel, and pre-checked extras at online checkouts. This huge consumer win should bring Australia’s consumer protections in line with many other countries, and make sure the law catches up with what people already expect from businesses. Similarly, introducing strong penalties will create a disincentive for businesses that flout consumer laws by denying people their consumer guarantee rights to a…

When we handed a CHOICE Shonky Award to Harvey Norman in 2020, it was because the retailer had entered into what we considered an unholy alliance with the firm Latitude Financial. Harvey Norman was signing up customers to Latitude cards at point of sale, meaning customers instore were being given the ability on the spot to buy something without a proper check by the card issuer that the purchase was appropriate to their financial situation. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) took an interest in the Harvey Norman/Latitude Finance partnership around the same time, and the recent win by the regulator in the Federal Court against both companies shows just how dubious their interest-free offers can be. The issue for ASIC was that advertisements for the Harvey Norman/Latitude Finance…

In August, the government committed to establishing a new independent Aviation Ombuds Scheme. It will replace the industry-funded Airline Consumer Advocate, which we awarded a Shonky in 2021 for doing little more than forwarding complaints to airlines. The new ombuds scheme will provide travellers with an avenue to seek compensation for cancelled and unreasonably delayed flights. CHOICE has long called for a scheme like this and welcomes plans to help handle consumer complaints, enforce consumer rights, and drive improvements in airline and airport practices. CHOICE has written a submission to the government, recommending that the scheme is designed to be: • independent: governed by a board with an equal number of consumer and industry directors and an independent chair • effective: established based on all the standards set by the…

The National Anti-Scam Centre has issued a warning to financially vulnerable Australians that criminals are impersonating charities and offering fake financial assistance schemes. Legitimate charities such as Good Shepherd and The Salvation Army offer loans through the No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS) to support low-income earners with unexpected payments and expenses. But criminals posing as charities are offering similar schemes, as well as fake emergency relief and rental assistance, in order to steal money. “As the cost of living has risen, struggling Australians are being targeted in despicable ways by criminals. We are warning people who need financial assistance and those that provide it to be aware of these scams,” says ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe. “Impersonating trusted organisations is a common scam tactic. Australians should independently check an organisation…

The federal government will direct the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to make an enforceable industry standard to better protect telco customers experiencing domestic and family violence. The government says a voluntary guideline has been unable to provide sufficient levels of consistent protection and that the Telecommunication Consumer Protection Code was also not a solution. The ACMA’s industry standard will include regulated safeguards for people accessing support from their telcos. “For too long our organisations have been hearing harrowing stories from people when their telcos have failed to provide the appropriate assistance and support when they are in very vulnerable circumstances, including circumstances of domestic and family violence,” says Consumer Action Law Centre acting director of policy and campaigns Luke Lovell. “This is a step forward and will make…

Let’s dry that again CHOICE member Kathryn got in touch with us about a problem she was having with Siemens. The power module on her heat pump dryer had failed and she was put in touch with an authorised service dealer. But unfortunately when the technician replaced the module, it blew up immediately. Kathryn was advised that a new motor would also be required, at a cost of around $1000 for parts and labour. The dryer cost $1700 when Kathryn had bought it six years ago, and it had been used to dry about two loads per week. She wrote to us as she believed it was not reasonable for the machine to now need such expensive repairs. We suggested that Kathryn contact Siemens in writing and explain that the…

Toys bought from popular online shopping platform Temu are failing Australian safety laws and have been found to carry deadly coin and button battery hazards, a CHOICE investigation reveals. We randomly chose 15 coin and button battery-operated products from the Temu website and purchased them anonymously in May 2024. The products included children’s watches, an electronic writing pad, spinning tops, mini electronic games, an LED tea light and a light-up tutu. Our expert tester found that most had unsafe, insecure battery compartments. In fact, every product tested failed at least one requirement under the Australian button battery regulations that are designed to protect children’s lives. Button battery regulations are designed to protect children’s lives Although Temu has now removed the offending products, CHOICE is warning buyers to be cautious when…

New CHOICE data shows Australians are struggling to get refunds and replacements from retailers for faulty and dangerous products, even though the law says such remedies are guaranteed. Consumers have reported businesses being dismissive of their concerns, telling them to do their own repairs and even trying to remove negative reviews after products fail. This is despite the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which has been in place since 2011, requiring that retailers give customers a refund or replacement if they’ve sold them a product with a major fault. Consumers have reported businesses being dismissive of their concerns The issues were laid bare in a survey of CHOICE members and supporters, which found only 24% feel confident reporting an unsafe product. We surveyed more than 6000 people in July 2024. When…

When planning an overseas trip, you always need to think about what you’ll use for money once you get there. You’ll most likely want to take some cash with you, as well as a card you can use for payments. But should you opt for a travel credit card, a debit card or a travel money card? Or a combination? We explain the different options and help you decide. Travel money cards A travel money card is a card you can load with money in different currencies. You can then take it overseas and use it like a regular debit card to spend and withdraw money in those currencies. These prepaid cards are offered by banks, airlines, foreign exchange retailers and other financial institutions. You can load a travel money…

Blenders are a handy appliance in any kitchen. Traditional benchtop blenders have some similar functions to food processors, but their construction is different. They usually have a narrow jug with blades at the bottom, making them ideal for creating fruit smoothies and milkshakes, blending soups and making sauces. But while traditional blenders are a useful benchtop staple, if you drink smoothies daily you might want to consider buying a smaller single-serve blender especially for the task. They’re usually simple to use, and they save on time and washing up by allowing you to blend and drink out of the same container. Plus, they’re generally small and lightweight, so can be brought along on trips and holidays. A single-serve blender can be brought along on trips and holidays Choosing the right…

In mid-October, the Reserve Bank of Australia released a consultation paper about card surcharges. The government joined the party by announcing it was prepared to ban debit card surcharges. Payment surcharges – those extra fees added at the checkout for paying by card – have been forced onto the national agenda largely because of a clear message from the general public that current practices are not working. CHOICE members and supporters have been vocal about the need to address issues with card surcharging, including excessive fees and a lack of consistency and disclosure. We’ve heard the message and are kicking off a campaign to ensure that the RBA’s consultation leads to good consumer outcomes. The CHOICE campaign is calling for a fair way to pay. To us, this means not…

A court has confirmed Australia’s largest airline will have to pay $100 million in fines for selling tickets to flights it had already decided to cancel, and for taking too long to tell ticket holders it wouldn’t be running the services. The Federal Court ruling comes after Qantas agreed to provide $20 million in compensation to tens of thousands of customers affected by the scandal. The $100 million fine was proposed to the court by the ACCC and Qantas in May 2024, with both agreeing the amount would be an appropriate deterrent to Qantas and other businesses from breaking consumer law in the future. “This is a substantial penalty, which sets a strong signal to all businesses, big or small, that they will face serious consequences if they mislead their…

Currently, Australians can enter Europe just using their passport, but a new system will soon require a visa before arriving. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) is similar to the US Esta. An Etias will be required for entry to the European Schengen Area, which includes the majority of European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The only European Union countries not in the Schengen Area are the UK, Ireland and Cypros. The Etias will cost about $11.50 (7 Euro) and will be valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It will be available online and through…

With the holiday season upon us and all the eating and entertaining that it brings with it, you may be contemplating the benefits of supersizing your regular grocery list, and seeking out some bargain bulk buys. Not only will buying in bulk save you money, you think to yourself, but it will cut down on multiple trips to the store over the coming weeks to replenish supplies. Even better if you can avoid the supermarkets altogether and buy in bulk from online retailers. Certain product categories and retailers may offer better value than others when shopping in bulk Bulk buying is certainly a strategy that could help you save on your grocery bill. But it’s not always the case that buying bigger is better. Is buying in bulk cheaper? At…

It’s taken a while, but the travel insurance market has reached peak competition again, since the end of the pandemic travel bans. Several insurers that left the market are back, along with some new competitors. With the increase in competition the average price of travel insurance has fallen slightly in the year to September 2024. How to save on travel insurance 1. SHOP AROUND It’s important to compare travel insurance policies for both cost and cover. While the average price of travel insurance has fallen, well over half of the policies we have prices for actually increased in cost. As we come into peak travel season, the insurers will jostle to win your business. You can easily shop around online, and sometimes you’ll get a discount for doing so. As…

For those annoying little messes in life that don’t require the heft of a barrel vacuum but do need more than a dustpan and broom, the stick vacuum tidily fills the void. Some of them don’t come cheap, though: a high-end stick vac can cost well over $1000. That’s a lot when you consider that, for most homes, you’ll also need a regular vacuum for deeper cleans in between the quick whip-arounds with your stick vac. But it is possible to get a great vac for not much cash. How much should you spend? With price tags ranging from over $1000 for a top-of-the-line Dyson to less than $100 for some Kmart models, it’s worth considering how much you’re prepared to pay. After all, not everyone can afford to spend…

Home entertainment tech – much like TVs, games consoles and Bluetooth speakers – tends to be a plug and play affair. You open the box, take the stuff out, follow the quick start guide and you’re good to go. But the default settings rarely deliver the best possible performance, especially when it comes to soundbars. Have a play in the settings and look for some of the features listed here in your soundbar. You may not find all these features in one model, but you’ll definitely find something that can enhance your home entertainment experience. The default settings rarely deliver the best possible performance Control your soundbar with the TV remote There’s a useful technology that has been adopted by all the major manufacturers called Consumer Electronics Control – or…

Universal translation devices were once only a concept, found in episodes of Doctor Who or Star Trek, but today’s devices are at least in the neighbourhood of those that were once sci-fi fantasy. And they can make worthwhile companions when you’re travelling, or just out and about in the world trying to communicate with someone who speaks a different language to your own. Translation technology has been around for a while, but for a long time the devices were both primitive, and prohibitively expensive. Thousands of ‘Phraselators’ designed to help military personnel translate a handful of English phrases into more than 40 languages were issued to American soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. The device reportedly cost US$2500 back in 2008, so it’s no surprise it didn’t exactly take…