Commission releases consumer issues report

Commission releases consumer issues report

The Commerce Commission have today released a report which identifies current issues and emerging risks that have the potential to affect markets or consumers.

Based on analysis of information from a wide range of sources, including the Commission’s own data as well as information from other government and community agencies, the Consumer Issues Report 2015 presents a picture of the issues concerning consumers in New Zealand.

Commission Chairman, Dr Mark Berry, said “The report examines the wider consumer environment looking at economic influences, the retail and consumer credit environments and the influence of technology. It then takes a detailed look at complaints received by the Commission, highlighting some interesting trends such as online trading generates 33% of Fair Trading complaints, twice the level generated by physical stores, and 25% of our Fair Trading Act complaints relate to just 24 traders. Using both the environmental information and the complaints data the report then identifies current issues and emerging risks.”

“The report is driven by consumer data and is designed to provide a picture of the issues concerning consumers in New Zealand. The Commission has used the report to inform our business planning which identified a number of key priority areas for the Commission over the next year.”

“Like all regulators, we do not have unlimited resources, so we must focus our efforts where we can have maximum impact. By identifying the areas of greatest risk to consumers, we can prioritise and target our resources to greater effect, taking the cases that are likely to have the greatest impact for consumers and more meaning for businesses,” Dr Berry said.

“Planning is already underway for the 2016 report and it will continue to be used to inform our work programme. We are grateful for the support of the community and government agencies that contributed to this report and we hope to add additional agencies as contributors for next year’s report,” Dr Berry said.

The full report and complaints infographic can be found on the Commission website.

ENDS

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