QANTAS WINS SHONKY FOR CREDIT CARD SURCHARGE
Consumer awards highlight dodgy & dubious goods and services
Sky-high airline credit card surcharges, cereal packets which shrunk in size but not in
price and liquid chicken stocks made from plain old powder have dominated this year’s
CHOICE Shonky Awards.
At the annual celebration of dodgy goods and services gongs were also handed out to a
food processor which couldn’t shred cheese and to a leading cosmetic company for its
dubious marketing claims.
Qantas were given a Shonky for their $7.70 credit card surcharge per passenger for
domestic flights, which CHOICE says is way above the average one percent fee card
companies’ levy for such transactions.
Uncle Tobys were recognised for reducing the size of their Oat Crisp Honey cereal
packets by 14 % but making the new container appear almost identical in size. The price
per 100 grams rose by 10%.
Two liquid chicken stocks were given a joint shonky award, both for being reconstituted
using stock powder and water—just like the much-cheaper stock cube alternative.
“The Shonky Awards highlight what is frankly ridiculous about some of the worst
examples of sub-standard products and services CHOICE reviews each year,” said
CHOICE spokesman Christopher Zinn.
“While the ‘winners’ might be cringing in the boardrooms we want consumers to enjoy a
good laugh and be more demanding before accepting tricky labelling, bogus fees and
charges and worthless devices.”
Of the eight awards one went to the Tiffany food processor which in broke in three as it
failed to shred tasty cheese. Another went to cosmetics giant L’Oreal for using dubious
statistics to promote its Elvive hair care products.
2009 SHONKY AWARD WINNERS – FULL LIST
Aldi’s Chefs’ Cupboard and Massell liquid stocks
For charging a premium for stock cubes and water
Reegen Micro Plug
Claims to reduce your power bills by 30% - it doesn’t
Loreal Elvive Shampoo, Conditioner and Serum
For dubious statistics and pseudoscience
Uncle Tobys Honey Oat Crisps
For shrinking the product but not the price
Tiffany FP 807 Food processor
For not being up to the job of shredding cheese
Tel Pacific prepaid phone cards
For hidden fees and charges
Credit protection insurance
For not being worth the paper it’s written on
Qantas
For its sky-high $7.70 credit card surcharge per passenger
Media enquiries:
Elise Davidson
0430 172 669
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