Consumer Affairs
How our diet is changing
Esther Han 10:43 AM We're eating healthier than ever - but we are still making one enormous mistake.
When your developer gives you a $70,000 ultimatum
Lucy Cormack 5:00 AM Two years after retirees John and Jeanie Barnes signed an off-the-plan contract for a townhouse, they were met with a $70,000 dilemma.
Slater & Gordon hangs in the balance
Sarah Danckert and Ruth Williams 12:00 AM The hulking write-down on Slater's UK acquisition Quindell has put the company in a 'financially precarious' position.
The mums who rule Facebook
Lucy Cormack and Esther Han 6:00 PM Natalie thought a Facebook group would be a good way to connect with other local mums. Then someone else came knocking.
Nurofen maker fined $1.7m for misleading conduct
Jane Lee The company that sells Nurofen has been fined more than $1 million for misleading consumers about its specific pain products.
Colgate colluded with Woolies to rip you off
Esther Han Household name Colgate has been found guilty of conspiring with two rivals and supermarket giant Woolworths.
No new taxi licences? 'That's nuts'
Matt O'Sullivan Taxis would become more commonplace on Sydney's streets under a controversial proposal by Cabcharge.
'It was everything I had': Sabrina's bank account cleaned out
Lucy Cormack Pregnant and unable to work, Sabrina Barreiro was mortified when her bank account had been cleaned out. And a bigger shock was to come.
You can lead a punter to water but you can't make them drink
Marc Moncrief Victorians have been subjected to a campaign of clandestine "nudges" to encourage us to consume healthier alternatives to the alcohol and sugar we seem to crave.
What women really spend the money on
Esther Han They control 75 per cent of retail spending. But where does it go?
Banned from casino, he visited 200 TABs
Esther Han After gambling addict Joshua had racked up a $73,000 credit card debt, he got into his self-managed super fund.
Bigger penalties for white collar crime
Sarah Danckert Regulators have called for larger penalties and a wider range of tactics.
The Mediterranean diet's surprising effect
Esther Han Eating junk food may not be as bad as we think for people with heart problems, a study says.
Jeep, Chrysler in worldwide recall
Melissa Singer and David Shepardson Fiat Chrysler is recalling more than 1 million vehicles over a fault that can cause cars to roll away after the driver gets out.
'Treasure Island' for grey market cars
Mark Hawthorne and Jared Lynch The private companies that ship grey market cars out of Japan and New Zealand have a nickname for Australia. It's Treasure Island.
IKEA warning after third child fatality
Esther Han Furniture giant says it has no plans to issue a recall of its Malm chest of drawers.
How to avoid slavery in your fashion
Esther Han In the wake of the Rana Plaza factory collapse some Australian fashion brands have made huge leaps in stamping out exploitation from their supply chains. Others have not.
'It was a hush-hush thing'
Esther Han A fire broke out in Patricia Borg's laundry. But two different stories have emerged about what happened in the aftermath.
The secrets of the top fashion labels
Lucy Cormack Luxury brands Chanel, Hermes and Prada are among the least transparent when it comes to reporting their social and environmental standards.
How much is your pooch really worth?
Lucy Cormack Consumers can pay up to $2120 a year to insure their pet and still not be covered for common illnesses.
Authorities reject need for inquiry into Samsung fires
Esther Han Samsung customers say they're angry that fire authorities have rejected their request to trigger a state coronial inquiry into what they claim is a botched washing machine recall.
'How did that happen?'
Lucy Cormack Rani's husband paid their rental bond in cash. Six months later, they made an alarming discovery.
$300,000 fine for 'free range egg' fraud
Esther Han Shoppers who paid extra to "taste freedom" in their free range eggs were ripped off and misled, a court has found, with an egg company penalised $300,000.
Crunch time for Arnott's after customers snap over 'new and improved' Shapes flavours
Marissa Calligeros They're the biscuits that shaped a nation. So it's no surprise, Arnott's biscuits has come under fire for meddling with its iconic Shapes flavours.
Thousands of fake phone chargers seized
Lucy Cormack Sheryl Aldeguer was electrocuted by a faulty phone charger. Now thousands have been removed from the market in raids.
Soft drink tax 'could save lives'
Lucy Cormack There could be 16,000 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes and 4400 fewer cases of heart disease - but at a price for some.
Airbnb hosts should be fined, says report
Nassim Khadem Airbnb hosts renting out their apartments in cities, including Sydney and Melbourne, should be slapped with speeding-ticket-type fines if their guests engage in "disruptive" behaviour that upsets neighbours.
Big businesses get more out of sharing
Marc Moncrief Uber and AirBnB are shaking up the world, but in Australia, it's big business that's benefiting.
Insurance hell: AAMI refusing to pay out Wye River bushfire victims
Liam Mannix Insurance giant AAMI is refusing to pay out customers who lost their homes in the Wye River bushfire.
Sydney family faces dream home demolition
Lucy Cormack The Swinburn family has just installed the perfect kitchen. But a roof inspection threatens to reduce their dream home to rubble.
