Podcast appearances and mentions of jon duffy

In Australia Bunnings is rated the most trusted brand in the country. But it's now being accused of misleading consumers with its pricing promise to beat the same stoked item found elsewhere by 10 percent in Australia and 15 percent in New Zealand. Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Corin Dann.

CEO of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy joins Kathryn to detail some wins the organisation has had with the Commerce Commission over some issues it's raised

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to her about Finance Minister, Nicola Willis' plans to combat Aotearoa's supermarket duopoly, Green MP, Tamatha Paul's comments about police, and Te Pāti Māori's recent calls for mandatory police body cameras. For our weekly catch up with The ACT Party's Simon Court, Joel speaks to him about the Resource Management Act, or RMA reforms and concerns about the country's health and police system, following an 11-year old being misidentified as a 20-year old by police, and administered antipsychotic drugs. On Friday, they spoke to the spokesperson for People Against Prisons Aotearoa and Criminology Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr Emmy Rākete, about Tamatha Paul's comments about police practices in the country, the reaction they have received, and whether the reaction has been justified. They speak to the Chief Executive Officer of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, about Nicola Willis' plans to combat the supermarket duopoly and how the organisation are feeling about these developments. On Friday, they also spoke to a Senior Politics and International Relations Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Tim Fadgen, about US President Donald Trump's ‘overreach' in American universities, and if we should expect similar occurrences at New Zealand universities. And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins Joel in studio to continue our discussion around the Netflix series ‘Adolescence,'  fandoms, and exploring the role of soft power. Whakarongo mai

As briefly touched on earlier, changes to how the supermarket duopoly in the country have been put forward by Finance Minister, Nicola Willis. Currently there are only two major supermarket chains in the country: Woolworths and Foodstuffs, with this move aiming to establish alternative options to how these companies operate. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Chief Executive of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, about these developments, and how the organisation are feeling about them. They started off by asking him how much of a concern the current duopoly is.

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, speaks to her about Finance Minister, Nicola Willis' plans to combat Aotearoa's supermarket duopoly, Green MP, Tamatha Paul's comments about police, and Te Pāti Māori's recent calls for mandatory police body cameras. For our weekly catch up with The ACT Party's Simon Court, Joel speaks to him about the Resource Management Act, or RMA reforms and concerns about the country's health and police system, following an 11-year old being misidentified as a 20-year old by police, and administered antipsychotic drugs. On Friday, they spoke to the spokesperson for People Against Prisons Aotearoa and Criminology Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr Emmy Rākete, about Tamatha Paul's comments about police practices in the country, the reaction they have received, and whether the reaction has been justified. They speak to the Chief Executive Officer of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, about Nicola Willis' plans to combat the supermarket duopoly and how the organisation are feeling about these developments. On Friday, they also spoke to a Senior Politics and International Relations Lecturer at the University of Auckland, Tim Fadgen, about US President Donald Trump's ‘overreach' in American universities, and if we should expect similar occurrences at New Zealand universities. And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins Joel in studio to continue our discussion around the Netflix series ‘Adolescence,'  fandoms, and exploring the role of soft power. Whakarongo mai

As briefly touched on earlier, changes to how the supermarket duopoly in the country have been put forward by Finance Minister, Nicola Willis. Currently there are only two major supermarket chains in the country: Woolworths and Foodstuffs, with this move aiming to establish alternative options to how these companies operate. News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Chief Executive of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy, about these developments, and how the organisation are feeling about them. They started off by asking him how much of a concern the current duopoly is.

Sky Sport is increasing the price of its sports package by about 12 percent. From May, a Sky Sport subscription will go up five dollars to $47 dollars a month. The price of the broadcaster's streaming service, Sky Sport Now, is also increasing - the monthly pass goes up by $5 a month to $54.99, and the Annual Pass by $50 to $549.99. The broadcaster said the price increase allows it to continue delivering an "unrivalled sporting line up." Jon Duffy from Consumer NZ spoke to Lisa Owen.

Sky TV's ageing satellite is causing signal issues for customers. Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

More and more Kiwi households have noticed an increase in broadcasting issues and disruptions - and the provider has offered up an explanation. In a recent update for investors, Sky confirmed it had accelerated plans to move from its current Optus D2 satellite to a new satellite after Optus revealed it would die earlier than previously thought. Consumer NZ CEO Jon Duffy says they've seen a significant number of customer complaints as a result of these disruptions. "What we're seeing causing frustration is - people are contacting Sky, they either can't get through or they can't get a reasonable answer to their questions, and that is just doubling down on the pain that they're feeling." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ says inaccurate pricing and misleading specials could collectively cost customers millions of dollars. The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against Woolworths NZ and two individual Pak'n Saves - accusing them of breaching the Fair Trading Act. It says investigations are ongoing. Consumer chief executive Jon Duffy says minor amounts for individual shoppers are significant when it's nationwide and happening every day. "If every shopper's going to one of the other supermarkets that's been charged 50 cents extra that they shouldn't have been charged for their baked beans - actually, that really adds up." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Commerce Commission has announced it will be filing criminal charges against Woolworths New Zealand, Pak'nSave Silverdale, and Pak'nSave Mill Street. Consumer New Zealand chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Consumer NZ boss Jon Duffy joins Kathryn to highlight his organisation's concerns over the recently completed FRT trial in Foodstuffs stores.

Consumer NZ is releasing results from its survey looking for the best and worst mobile phone providers. Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Alexa Cook.

A probe of aviation competition could bring New Zealanders better prices. Consumer NZ has asked the Government to direct the Commerce Commission to investigate aviation in its next market study. It says Air New Zealand has a virtual monopoly on many domestic routes - and it's affecting regional airfares. Consumer CEO Jon Duffy says a probe would reveal why prices are so high, and how to change things. "It allows for a reasoned and evidence-based debate on what the next best options are, and then you can hand it back to the Government and say - alright, you know what you could do to fix things. It's up to you whether you do it or not." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ tracked a series of return flights for a family of 4 over 18 weeks to see what happened to prices during school holidays. Turns out, according to Consumer, flights in the school holidays were up to 167 percent more expensive than in the 3 weeks prior. Compared to Qantas prices during the same periods, Air New Zealand came off second best. Consumer NZ CEO, Jon Duffy spoke to Lisa Owen.

Consumer New Zealand says Ticketmaster's 'dynamic pricing' for the Oasis tour tickets is likely to be following the law. People have complained after wildly different rates were charged on the same tickets. Consumer New Zealand CEO Jon Duffy says as long as Ticketmaster is transparent prices can change, it's not breaking the law. He says transparency could be improved. "For example, if you had a running tally of how many tickets had sold and you disclosed that - at which point, the next tier of pricing would kick in." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fares for some Air New Zealand flights have surged by up to three hundred per cent in the past five years according to Consumer NZ. It found in one case, a last minute booking of a return flight to Hamilton from Wellington for two adults, booked two days before a funeral, cost $281.20 in 2021 - three years later, it cost $1,118.00. Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Corin Dann.

Transpower chief executive Alison Andrew confirmed yesterday that the power pylon that fell last Thursday, cutting power to most of Northland, was caused by contractors carrying out routine maintenance. The maintenance work was being carried out by Transpower's service provider in the region, Omexom. Omexom managing director Mornez Green took responsibility for the fault, and reiterated the importance of a thorough investigation. Northland households have the right to compensation for items damaged during the lengthy power outage including food spoiling in a defrosting freezers. Consumer New Zealand's chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Corin Dann.

Some Toyota owners may be regretting their purchase.  It's a struggle to insure one Toyota car model, with annual insurance costs reaching nearly three thousand dollars.  The Toyota Aqua is the most commonly stolen car in the country, which has caused insurers to hike prices.  Consumer NZ Chief Executive Jon Duffy told Mike Hosking that while the Aqua is cheap to run, the fuel savings may not be worth it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last night was the final episode of Fair Go, one night after long-running current affairs show Sunday also finished up - both shows the victim of cost-cutting at TVNZ. Consumer New Zealand chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Corin Dann.

Air New Zealand's reliability has fallen - and it's trailing Jetstar in figures for last month as it grapples with engine problems. Only 77 percent of its domestic flights arrived within 15 minutes of scheduled times last month, down from 88 percent in January. Jetstar reported no domestic cancellations last month and almost 79 percent of flights were on time. Consumer NZ CEO Jon Duffy says it's good opportunity for Jetstar to boost their reputation. "It's a great opportunity for them to show that they're lifting their game - and become more of competitive threat to Air New Zealand." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand's ramping up domestic airfares from tomorrow. Last week the National carrier warned travel agents that all existing bookings need to be ticketed by midnight, to avoid any price changes. Consumer New Zealand chief executive Jon Duffy speaks to Lisa Owen.

Consumer advocates say a muscled up Kiwibank is no silver bullet to fix the country's banking sector. A draft Commerce Commission report has found a lack of competition in the personal banking sector and says New Zealand-owned Kiwibank is too small to disrupt the market. It says there's a two-tier market in which the big four Australian-owned banks have the major share, with smaller operators offering no threat to that dominance. Monopoly Watch director Tex Edwards, Simplicity's Sam Stubbs, and Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Corin Dann.

Retirement village operators have come under fire from the Commerce Commission for their contract terms.  A dozen retirement operators —including Ryman and Arvida— have been put on notice because their conduct risks breaching the Fair Trading Act.  They run a total of 180 villages across the country.  Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy told Mike Hosking that there's an imbalance of power between facility operators and residents.  He says there are concerns around the advertising that lures people into a village, and unfair clauses in the residents' contracts.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Countdown Dunedin South's intense pest management days may be behind them. The store's been closed since February 10 after multiple continued rat sightings. If none are spotted overnight, MPI have given them the all clear for opening tomorrow. Consumer NZ's Jon Duffy says rats have a bad name - but people need to have faith the pests are being properly dealt with. "You've got to trust that MPI are doing their job in making sure that it's safe, and that they've got the exterminators in- and that they've done their best." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recently rebranded Woolworths is also revamping its loyalty programme, claiming customers will benefit from targeted ads based on information collected about them. Everyday Rewards is replacing the old OneCard, favouring a more involved app with a digital card and personalised deals. Consumer NZ has long criticised supermarkets for selling data collected through loyalty schemes, as well as luring shoppers into phony member-only deals. Chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The pricing and promotional practices at the country's two major supermarket groups are to be the focus of an investigation opened by the Commerce Commission. The consumer watchdog is responding to a claim made last August by Consumer NZ that the Foodstuffs and Woolworths supermarket groups have engaged in misleading pricing, including the advertising specials that are anything but. Both companies have said they will cooperate fully. Neither accepted our request for an interview. Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Corin Dann.

Consumer NZ is pleased that the Commerce Commission's investigating the two supermarket chains on the back of its complaint.   The commission's investigating whether certain pricing and promotional practices comply with the Fair Trading Act.   Consumer NZ received more than 600 complaints from consumers.   Chief Executive Jon Duffy told Tim Dower that this includes the price on the shelf being different to what's being charged at the till.   He says more complex issues include multi-buys like two for ones, but it's more expensive to buy the two than buy them separately.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ is accusing Z Energy of profiting from misleading sustainability messaging.  The organisation teamed up with the Environmental Law Initiative and Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand Inc to seek a High Court declaration for Z's breaches of the Fair Trading Act. Chief executive Jon Duffy says the evidence contradicts Z Energy's climate-focused public messaging.  "We don't think that stacks up, and consumers shouldn't be misled into thinking that their purchase of an inherently damaging product is somehow better at this company over other companies." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Z Energy is being taken to court over claims it has breached the Fair Trading Act by misleading New Zealanders. According to the Statement of Claim filed by Consumer NZ inc, Lawyers for Climate Action NZ, and the Environmental Law Initiative - Z has increased its total greenhouse gas emissions since 2019, despite running ads that say: "we're in the business of getting out of the petrol business". Z Energy declined to come on the programme, instead providing a statement which says: "Z Energy acknowledges the statement of claim served to us." It says it takes "the claim made against Z extremely seriously and is now working to consider its response." Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Today we delve into the world of consumer affairs with Consumer NZ's head honcho Jon Duffy. For decades Consumer NZ has been fighting for our consumer rights by shining spotlights on those who need to be shown up and holding those to account who try and pull a fast one on the unsuspecting public. In this enlightening conversation we address a wide array of consumer-focused topics including airlines, banks and of course supermarkets. Do we take our consumer rights as seriously in New Zealand as say Australia? Are we treated fairly by our largest corporates? Is New Zealand a good place to be a consumer?! Jon unravels the consumer issues that impact our daily lives and the economy in general. Chapters: 4:43 - Slam Dunc 7:51 - Jon Duffy 45:54 - Letters To The EditorSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions over whether Air New Zealand will match its competitor and remove the expiration on Covid flight credits.   Qantas is ditching the expiration dates for more than $500 million worth of travel credits that were due to run out at the end of the year.   Consumer NZ CEO, Jon Duffy, told Mike Hosking now that Air New Zealand's in the green again, there's no reason it couldn't offer something similar.   He says given the uncertainty that constantly renewing the expiration date has, it's probably easier for them administratively to look at a similar policy.   Its Covid travel credits are currently set to expire at the end of the year.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month Nine to Noon looked at the issue of online fraud and whether banks could - and should - be doing more to protect customers' losses. Kathryn spoke with Jon Duffy from Consumer NZ about whether the New Zealand Code of Banking Practice was robust enough to protect Kiwi bank users, and anti-scam consultant Bronwyn Groot about the increasing sophistication of scammers. Millions are being stolen from Kiwis each year - likely a gross underestimate of the true situation because many victims feel embarrassed and don't report their losses. Nine to Noon has been seeking a discussion with the heads of the major banks in New Zealand to talk about the rise of online scams and how they're dealt with. Only one agreed. This morning Kathryn speaks with ANZ's CEO Antonia Watson.

Labour's policy to remove GST on fruit and vegetables - previously labelled as 'boondoggle' by its own Finance Minister - has found few friends since its announcement on Sunday. Labour is promising to take the 15 percent goods and services tax off fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables from April 2024. But the policy has been almost universally criticised by economists and tax experts, who argue supermarkets will not pass on any savings to shoppers and that it will be difficult to administer. Consumer New Zealand, which pushed for the Commerce Commission inquiry into supermarkets, is also sceptical savings will be passed on. Susie speaks with Chief Executive, Jon Duffy.

McDonald's dynamic pricing on its app seems to show signs of a digital vs analogue conflict. Users have taken to social networking site Reddit, complaining regular users are being charged more than casual users. McDonald's says these price differences will encourage people to use the app more, bringing more long-term benefits. This combo differed in price by $3 on the same day in the same location. Photo / u/BattleScones Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy told Mike Hosking the tailored pricing is due to the amount of users' data collected. He says instead of there being an agreed price on a hamburger, the digital world has seen that hamburger cost whatever they want on that particular day. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shoppers in Westfield malls across Auckland and Christchurch are being filmed without their knowledge, according to Consumer NZ. AI-powered billboards analyse the biometric data of passer-by and use that to show them targeted advertisements based on age, gender and even mood. Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy has raised concerns, claiming there's no disclosure on where consumers can expect to be filmed. "It's even creepier to do without people's knowledge. People just want to know, they don't necessarily object to the technology, they object to being subjected to that technology without their consent." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The consumer watchdog is warning about AI-powered digital billboards now in use in shopping malls, and the lack of disclosure about the data they're using. Consumer NZ says the billboards, called "SmartScreens", film shoppers, analyse their biometric data, and then serve up targeted advertisements in real time, based on a person's age, gender and even mood. These billboards are already in use in Westfield shopping centres in Auckland and Christchurch. But Consumer chief executive Jon Duffy says customers may not be sufficiently aware of the data being collected about them, and how that data is being used.

The Commerce Commission is investigating whether food delivery service HelloFresh has breached the Fair Trading Act for charging customers for meal kits they haven't ordered, sometimes even sending debt collectors for payment of unwanted boxes. In the past 12 months, the Commerce Commission has received 104 complaints about HelloFresh, including problems with subscriptions, promotions, pricing, quality and refunds. People have also been frustrated by the company's poor customer service where complaints or questions have to go through a chat function on the app or website. Customers who do manage to find a phone number, say they encounter unhelpful customer service representatives, described by consumer advocates as being well-known tactics to make cancelling subscriptions as difficult as possible. Kathryn speaks with Aucklander Francine Cameron, one of the many customers who's had problems with HelloFresh, and Chief Executive of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy.

Consumer NZ says Countdown's second winter product price freeze is better this year, but it's lacking fruit. Out of more than 300 individual items, only two are fresh vegetables- potatoes and mushrooms. It did the same last winter. Consumer CEO Jon Duffy says it'll be interesting if Foodstuffs doesn't follow suit. "It would really underline many of the issues that my organisation and many others have been rabbiting on about for two years now, that there really is a lack of competition."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern about the climate is making its way to the checkout - according to new data from Consumer NZ. Its latest Sentiment Tracker shows almost 85 percent of New Zealanders expect to maintain or increase their focus on making environmentally sustainable food and grocery choices over the next 12 months. Consumer NZ says this year's severe weather events are behind the surge in concern - which appears to be changing our shopping habits. Chief executive Jon Duffy talks to Susana Leiataua about the study.  

Alarms over a borer infestation have been raised after a Northland mother found holes and sawdust in her recently purchased wooden serving tray. Kmart has recalled the line, and has warned customers to be on the lookout for any signs of the invasive insects. Consumer NZ's Jon Duffy told Heather du Plessis-Allan that it's important to report situations like this to MPI, so that they can track the distribution of the shipment and recall the items. He said that if you have had losses as a result of a infested item, such as fumigating or damages to your property, you are able to claim compensation under the Consumer Guarantee Act. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Consumer NZ is calling out dodgy supermarket specials after hundreds of reports by eagle-eyed shoppers of so-called special offers that really weren't. The reports follow Consumer NZ's call last September for people to report misleading pricing.  Shoppers reported 78 cases where the "special" didn't save shoppers money, while in 54 instances customers were charged more than the shelf price.  There were also examples of dodgy multibuys, where goods were actually cheaper when purchased individually.  Supermarket giants, Countdown and Foodstuffs deny there's a problem. Consumer NZ's chief execuive Jon Duffy spoke to Morning Report.  

The Warehouse's introduction of fresh fruit and vegetables to some stores from today is being described as a game-changer. Consumer NZ Chief Executive Jon Duffy told Mike Hosking it will allow the chain to compete against big players in the supermarket industry. “They've got stores with large enough capacity to really expand properly into grocery without having to secure sites and build buildings.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rhode Island agency Duffy & Shanley celebrates 50 years, and partners Jon Duffy and Annette Maggiacomo join Bill Bartholomew to discuss how they got here, where public relations and communications is headed, and what they've learned about Rhode Island.Support the show

Some Ed Sheeran fans are up in arms, claiming their seats for this weekend's concerts at Auckland's Eden Park have been changed without their permission. Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy told Mike Hosking ticket companies are protected by their terms and conditions. He says if they argue the new seats are actually better, they might not need to compensate people. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're heading away this summer and looking at booking a hotel or motel - should you use a booking site? An investigation is underway by the Australian department of treasury - requested by Australia's Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh - into hotel booking sites such as booking.com, hotels.com, trivago and wotif. The investigation will assess whether booking sites are in fact keeping prices high. It's a probe that Consumer New Zealand would like to see undertaken here. Kathryn speaks with Jon Duffy, Chief Executive of Consumer New Zealand.

Open banking has increased choice and lowered banking costs for millions around the world. But it has been slow to arrive here. The government has been working on it and an announcement is expected soon. So what are the benefits and when might we see them? Consumer NZ chief executive, Jon Duffy, spoke to Corin Dann.

Consumer New Zealand has thrown its weight behind a campaign to urgently review the Retirement Villages Act after numerous stories of residents being treated unfairly. Chief executive Jon Duffy today told MPs at a select committee many residents are not being treated fairly, saying agreements are often one-sided and littered with terms that potentially breach the Fair Trading Act. It follows a petition launched by the Retirement Village Residents' Association to address an imbalance between operators and residents. Brian Peat is the association's president. He talks to Nick Truebridge.  

Jetstar's treatment of a family with disabled children, which ended in a ruined holiday and significant stress, has landed airline policy and manners in the spotlight again. Despite checking in 45 minutes ahead of their flight the family says they were turned away from Jetstar after waiting in line to drop off their daughter's wheelchair. That counter closed before they got to the front and they were simply told it was too late, they say they were given the option to book another flight at their expense or get someone to collect the wheelchair within 30 minutes. The family drove from Auckland to Wellington instead. So what are your rights? Jon Duffy from Consumer NZ talks to Lisa Owen.

Gearing up for a Friday night takeaway delivery? Be warned some restaurants are allegedly cooking up extra charges that could be breaking retail laws. An investigation by advocacy group Consumer NZ found some pizza joints are tacking extra costs on menu items, despite also charging a delivery fee. Jon Duffy from Consumer NZ has the details.