Hello Fresh has been fined $845,000 for misleading customers. Photo: RNZ / Dan Satherley
The Commerce Commission says with more subscription services emerging, customers need easier ways to unsubscribe.
Meal kit service Hello Fresh has been fined $845,000 for misleading customers, by reactivating the accounts of former customers during phone calls, sometimes without customers realising.
The Commerce Commission said in the space of 18 months, Hello Fresh phoned just over a million people leading to more than 70,000 cancelled subscriptions being reactivated.
Commission Chair Anne Callinan said the commission received hundreds of complaints when people found it was very difficult to unsubscribe again, with no phone number provided and only a chatbot on the website.
She said the case shows how difficult it could be to get out of subscriptions and anyone struggling should contact the commission.
Hello Fresh said it apologised unreservedly to its customers and staff and had refunded affected customers.
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