Choice names worst products on its annual Shonky Awards
Retail giant Coles and Commonwealth Bank unwillingly topped the list of the annual Shonky Awards handed out by consumer watchdog Choice, singling out the two firms for their dubious bonus offerings in peddling their products.
Coles was cited based on its under $10 meal promotion for a family of four and endorsed by celebrity chef Curtis Stone, which Choice said actually needed $30 since some of the ingredients listed were not included in summing up the meal's real value.
CBA on the other hand was awarded a Shonky for pushing its Awards Program that gives out $20 flight rewards but not before requiring clients to fork out $12,000 in a given year to avail of the bonus.
Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn criticised the Commonwealth Bank for offering a reward that program that gets buried "in the mighty small print" of its partnership with Qantas Frequent Flyer points program.
Mr Zinn said that as Shonky Awards saw its fifth year of giving shameful distinctions to erring companies in Australia, it was expected that companies would endeavour to provide honest products and services to consumers.
Yet on the contrary, he pointed out that "we're continually amazed by marketers' efforts to take Australians for a ride."
Also, Choice listed other products by six more companies, which the consumer advocate warned were not deserving of buyer's attention, namely Nurofen, LG, Power Balance, Medalist, the website babynamemeans.com and some olive oil brands.