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ECR Consumerwatch

Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a champion of consumer rights, Wendy is also known and respected by corporates for her fair, accurate and balanced reporting. Want to be a more sussed consumer or corporate? Listen to Wendy's episodes here.
Weekly English South Africa Leisure · Business
239 Episodes
140 – 160

Salmonella cases in KZN: update

Following the recent salmonella cases in KwaZulu-Natal, Wendy Knowler gives us an update on the story in today's Consumerwatch.
15 Nov 2018 8 min

Flight delays: How South African airlines compare

Anyone who flies regularly has experienced the frustration of flight delays. It can be utterly devastating - missed meetings, weddings, funerals, concerts, and connecting flights. Too often passengers are told 'too little too late', or delayed due to 'operational reasons. They’re told even less about the compensation they’re entitled to,…
1 Nov 2018 11 min

Laying down the lay-by law

Consumer-friendly CPA lay-by cancellation rules can make life tough for retailers, but they can’t do it their way, says Wendy Knowler.
25 Oct 2018 6 min

The contract that won’t let you go

No company likes to let a customer go, and in the past, many have come up with policies which make it incredibly difficult for you to cancel. Such as - if you don’t cancel your three-year contract on the very last day of those three years, you will be locked…
18 Oct 2018 8 min

Orange bags: Best you buy your own

The Orange Bag recycling project started off as a big moment for the city. Durban Solid Waste (DSW) showed the rest of the country’s large municipal waste departments the way by providing a mechanism for residents to separate their waste in their homes, and divert a meaningful percentage of it…
4 Oct 2018 6 min

Adding fuel to the fake fire - Part 2

Social media gives we consumers a powerful voice; a means to expose how we’ve been wronged by companies; and to warn others of dodgy practices and rip offs. And you’re safe - legally - if what you say publicly is true. Factual, real - not fake.
27 Sep 2018 1 min

Adding fuel to the fake fire - Part 1

Social media gives we consumers a powerful voice; a means to expose how we’ve been wronged by companies; and to warn others of dodgy practices and rip offs. And you’re safe - legally - if what you say publicly is true. Factual, real - not fake.
27 Sep 2018 1 min

Loyalty doesn’t pay when it comes to insurance

Far from it - and I speak from experience. Four years ago, I’d been with the same insurer for 17 years when I decided to do some comparative premium shopping and found out I’d been grossly overpaying.
20 Sep 2018 6 min

Wendy investigates food expiry dates: Use By vs Best By

It’s been a confusing week on the food safety front.. first the police and health officials are raiding foreign owned shops and confiscating their rice, cool drinks and maize meal for being past their best before dates and therefore “dangerous” and a few days later the health minister is on…
6 Sep 2018 7 min

New, ‘improved' Rice Krispies make consumers snap

The Rice Krispies fans are cross, very very cross! Without warning, Kellogg’s totally changed the recipe for those Krispies - and the Coco and Strawberry Pops, too - and consumers are so not loving the so-called new, improved versions. For now, Kellogg’s is just smiling and waving in response. So,…
30 Aug 2018 7 min

Whey Overstated

Read labels, the experts say - that’s the only way to make an informed buying choices. But what if the labels are misleading, as we’ve seen with the recent honey scandal, the fish mislabelling and the gluten-free baked goods which contained predominately wheat flour?
23 Aug 2018 6 min

Hey big spender - now you’re an importer

Ecommerce is exploding in South Africa and many people, having had good experiences with local sites, are sampling the delights of overseas-based retail sites. But there is a new pitfall as one consumer's found out the hard way. He's bought three items into SA this year, and now has been…
16 Aug 2018 8 min

Wendy explains 'Pink Tax'

Wendy Knowler tackles a new term that's become very relevant today. Find out more on what Pink Tax really is.
9 Aug 2018 7 min

Unappetising foreign objects in food - What are your rights?

In this week's Consumerwatch, Wendy Knowler looks at what rights consumers have after discovering foreign objects in their food. Knowler takes up Samuel's case who found an electrical wire while he was drinking a beer. Unless harm was caused, the company implicated owes you a replacement product - not a…
2 Aug 2018 10 min

Burning Audi's?

This week on Consumer Watch, Wendy chats about the 'burning audi' that's making the rounds on social media.
26 Jul 2018 8 min

Theft by radio waves?

Is RFID “contactless” card theft possible? Wendy Knowler found out. Whether you know it or not, if you have a credit card, it is most likely an RFID one - that it is it has Radio Frequency ID, the technology which allows you to Tap and Go: place your card…
19 Jul 2018 7 min
140 – 160