Corporate and Commercial

Consumer Law

Overview
Helping you to stay on the right side of consumer protection laws

Hesketh Henry’s specialist consumer law solicitors can assist your business with any aspect of consumer law compliance, including matters related to the Consumer Guarantees Act.  Changes to consumer law in New Zealand have tightened the requirements for extended warranties and other forms of consumer guarantees, so it’s important to ensure that your warranty documents are correctly drafted by an experienced consumer protection lawyer.

We also help New Zealand businesses navigate the Fair Trading Act’s requirements. 

The Privacy Act is another area of speciality for us. Talk to us about preparation of privacy policies, advice related to the storage and use of personal information and other privacy issues.

Need advice on Consumer Law?
Contact the expert team at Hesketh Henry.
Examples

Examples of work completed by our team include:

  • Providing day-to-day advice to corporate clients on consumer protection legislation, including the Consumer Guarantees Act  and the Fair Trading Act;
  • Advising a leading New Zealand babywear brand on a Commerce Commission investigation into the safety of its cots; and
  • Ensuring our consumer facing clients have terms and conditions which comply with New Zealand’s consumer laws.
Key Contacts
Publications
Events

Insights & Opinion / Consumer Law

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Shedding Some Light on the Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Act 2022
Summer may be over, but there are sunny days ahead for sunscreen advocates with the recent introduction of the Sunscreen (Product Safety Standard) Act 2022.
25.03.2022 Posted in Business Advice
‘Tis the season … to comply with the Fair Trading Act
Retailers will be seeking to make the most of in-store trading reopening, particularly in Auckland.
23.11.2021 Posted in Business Advice & Regulatory
Gavel Books Wide BW
Penalties imposed for a single phone call attempting to enter a price-fixing agreement
The High Court in Commerce Commission v Specialised Container Services (Christchurch) Ltd recently imposed pecuniary penalties under the Commerce Act 1986 (the Act) for an attempt to enter into a pric...
07.10.2021 Posted in Business Advice & Regulatory
New Fair Trading Act provisions spark need to review small trade contracts
The Fair Trading Amendment Bill received Royal Assent on 16 August 2021 and is now the Fair Trading Amendment Act 2021 (Amendment Act).  The Amendment Act amends the Fair Trading Act 1986 (FTA), with...
14.09.2021 Posted in Business Advice
Guarantees must be in writing and signed to be enforceable
For a guarantee to be enforceable, the requirements set out in section 27 of the Property Law Act 2007 (Act) must be strictly complied with.  This is what the NZSC held in Brougham v Regan. The key i...
19.03.2021 Posted in Business Advice
Reception
The Commerce Commission is set to undertake a market study into the Retail Grocery Sector
On 17 November 2020 the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced a market study into the retail grocery sector through the Commerce Commission under Part 3A of the Commerce Act 1986 (Act).Â...
Court of Appeal cuts fine for Steel & Tube’s breaches of the Fair Trading Act 
The Court of Appeal in Commerce Commission v Steel & Tube Holdings Limited [2020] NZCA 549 has set aside last year’s High Court decision under the Fair Trading Act 1986 (FTA) where it imposed a ...
23.11.2020 Posted in Business Advice & Disputes
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