Brand hits back at watchdog findings
Consumer NZ’s product test and studies can be helpful for buyers looking to get the best bang for their buck.
But Re-Stor chief executive Grant Taylor says he believes the watchdog’s testing is flawed, and can damage the public reputation of a poorly scoring brand.
Consumer recently released its annual laundry detergent findings. It found Re-Stor Concentrated Laundry Detergent Sheets performed poorly. The product was rated lower than a wash with only water, landing it firmly on the ‘‘do not buy’’ list.
Taylor said the brand had done rigorous testing itself, and gathered consumer feedback that had rated it at 4.5/5 on cleaning effectiveness.
He said the Consumer findings were ‘‘historically flawed’’ and it had misled the public with its pricing statements.
The company is now in cleanup mode – attempting to rectify the negative publicity.
‘‘We’ve contacted Consumer to correct their outlandish comments immediately and will consider taking legal action.’’
Consumer found the Re-stor product was the ‘‘worst’’ at removing stains and was more expensive than the top laundry performer, costing $12.50 on average. By comparison, the highest-ranking product, Persil With a Touch of Comfort (1kg), cost an average $6.49.
He said Consumer had not compared the equivalent pack sizes – but if it had, consumers would see Persil charged $15.50 for 2kg, Ecostore $14 for 2kg and Earthwise $15 for two litres. Re-Stor costs $12.50 for 60 sheets which he said was the equivalent of $1.80 per kg.
Consumer NZ product test manager Paul Smith said it was standing by its testing, which was conducted in an independent lab.
‘‘We have been testing laundry detergents for a decade and are proud to provide the results free to the public. We think it is important consumers have an independent source of information about the quality and performance of laundry detergents.’’
Other brands that have been hit by poor Consumer ratings in the past include Banana Boat sunscreen, Ajax 30 spray and wipe and Ecostore dishwashing powder.
Ecostore development director Huia Iti did not comment on how a negative Consumer NZ rating had affected the business but said the brand had built a loyal following of customers in the last 30 years.
‘‘This has helped drive sales of our laundry products, which continue to grow year-on-year.
‘‘We continue to have a strong brand presence in New Zealand, and in March this year, Ecostore was once again recognised as New Zealand’s leading sustainable brand for nine years in a row in Kantar’s 2022 Better Futures report.’’
The negative publicity hadn’t all been that bad for Re-Stor, as commenters on social media came out in support of the brand.
Associate professor in marketing at the University of Auckland, Bodo Lang, said any publicity would normally be beneficial for small businesses.
‘‘Negative publicity can have positive effects for companies, particularly for small companies that consumers are not aware of.’’
‘‘[We] will consider taking legal action.’’ Grant Taylor Re-Stor chief executive