Energy retailers and a plug-in heater that neither plugs in nor heats are among the recipients of the 2025 Shonky Awards, announced this week.
For the past 20 years, consumer group Choice has highlighted Australia’s shonkiest products, services or companies in the awards, which have resulted in some major wins for consumers, according to Choice CEO, Ashley de Silva.
“The Coles and Woolworths award in 2023, and Qantas's win in 2022, marked the beginning of several years of reckoning for these major Australian companies”, de Silva said.
“Bloomex received a hefty fine from the ACCC after we gave the online florist an award in 2022 for flowers that didn't deliver, and the 2020 award winner, Revitalife, refunded over $57,000 to customers after admitting its sales tactics had likely breached consumer laws."
The Commonwealth Bank has now received its fourth Shonky Award, making it the most awarded Australian company in the awards’ history.
“This year, we're calling out CommBank for refusing to refund millions of low-income customers $270 million in fees that never should've been charged", de Silva noted.
The 2025 CHOICE Shonkys include:
- Commonwealth Bank for making bank off the back of Australia's poorest;
- Temu for being an unsafe haven for dodgy sales tactics and fast fashion;
- Handy Heater Turbo 800 for a plug-in heater that doesn't plug in, or heat;
- Energy retailers for pricing tactics designed to confuse; and
- HCF for a price rise in disguise.