Concrete claims net $151,000 penalty

A former owner of a Christchurch concreting business has been fined more than $151,000, for misleading customers about what brand of concrete panels were being used.

The now-defunct business, Christchurch Lightweight Concrete, claimed to be supplying the Australian-made “Hebel” brand, though they actually supplied non-Hebel panels from a Chinese manufacturer.

Owner Darryl Campbell pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Fair Trading Act f or his misrepresentations to staff and customers between July 2007 and June 2010.

During this period Christchurch Lightweight claimed it was supplying the Hebel brand of exterior panels for at least 83 properties.

Campbell faced the Auckland Dis- trict Court, where Judge Gibson accepted the commission’s submission that Campbell’s conduct was deliberate.

“He clearly knew the panels were not Hebel panels and he also knew, I am satisfied, of their reputation in the market,” Justice Gibson said.

Commissioner Anna Rawlings says consumers care about brand, quality, and reputation, and they are often willing to pay a premium price to get what they want.

“It is particularly important that customers can take traders at their word in cases where it’s hard for them to verify claims about a product,” Rawlings said.

The commission said it was unable to comment further on the case as three other defendants were still before the courts. —