Multiple brands are selling compostable dog poo bags that cannot be composted because of their contents. Photo: 123RF
Compostable dog poo bags that cannot be composted because they contain dog poo have won an award at Consumer NZ's inaugural Yeah, Nah awards.
The awards aim to place a spotlight on products, businesses and services that are especially disappointing throughout the year.
Consumer chief executive John Duffy told Midday Report the five winners (losers) they picked came from a desire to reveal issues that might be impacting consumers without them realising.
"Technically they are compostable. It's just at a practical level you could never do it because the industrial composting facilities that you need to compost these products don't accept products that have animal feces in them," Duffy said.
Other winners included Air New Zealand, who won the "Taken for a ride" award for their dymanic pricing model which sees prices skyrocket during school holidays.
"What we've done is an analysis of over 600 flights across a 16 week period this year, covering two school holidays," Duffy said.
"Air New Zealand is significantly higher in terms of how much its flight prices go up compared to Qantas."
Westpac's life insurance policy won the "grave disappointment" award.
This award went to the lowest ranking product in terms of Consumer NZ's customer satisfaction surveys, Duffy said.
Pam's value creamed corn received the "less isn't more" award for only containing 40 percent corn.
"We think you know anything below 50 percent is really not filling the bar if you're after corn," Duffy said.
The "avoid at all costs" award went to Bosch for its heat-pump dryer which took four hours to wash and dry an average load of washing.
Despite being one of the most expensive washer-dryers on the market, it took twice as long as equivalent brands to clean clothes, Duffy said.
Some of the winners have responded to the undesirable awards.
An Air New Zealand spokesperson said dynamic pricing was standard practice across airlines, hotels and car rental companies.
"We would love to add more capacity over these busy periods, however, with seven of our aircraft currently out of service due to global engine supply issues, there are no spare aircraft to add to the schedule" the spokesperson said.
Westpac also responded.
"We're disappointed with this survey result and we continue to work alongside Fidelity Life, who underwrite our life insurance products, to respond to customer and banker feedback," a Westpac NZ spokesperson said.
RNZ has contacted other winners named by Consumer NZ for comment.
