More retailers drop unfair gift card expiry dates

7 November 2016

More retailers drop unfair gift card expiry dates

Hallensteins, Macpac and Bike Barn are the latest retailers to drop expiry dates on their gift cards in response to a Consumer NZ campaign.

Consumer NZ launched its “Drop the Dates” campaign in September, calling on retailers to remove unfair expiry dates from their gift cards.

Consumer NZ head of research Jessica Wilson said 25 retailers are changing the 12-month expiry dates on their cards as a result of the campaign.

Eight retailers – Baby Factory, Bike Barn, Countdown, Farro Fresh, Hallensteins, Kathmandu, Macpac and Noel Leeming – are dropping their dates altogether.

Ms Wilson said 17 other retailers agreed to extend their gift card expiry dates. Hannahs, Number One Shoes and Shoe Clinic are extending to five years while Michael Hill is extending its dates to three years.

Max Fashions, NZ Rockshop and sister store KBB Music, Stevens, The Body Shop, Toyworld and Z Energy are extending their expiry dates to 24 months. New World, Pak’nSave and Four Square have done the same.

Baby City, Hunting & Fishing and Ticketek have agreed to change their expiry dates but are yet to announce their new terms.

Ms Wilson said it was disappointing several retailers have declined to change their terms. Event Cinemas, Just Jeans, Mobil Oil and Repco are the latest retailers to advise they’re sticking with 12-month expiry dates at this stage.

Ms Wilson said these retailers were disadvantaging their customers by maintaining 12-month terms.

“Some of these retailers have said they offer grace periods, will honour expired cards or issue replacement cards in certain circumstances but these practices beg the question, why have a date at all?”

Ms Wilson said Consumer NZ wants all retailers to do the right thing by their customers and drop unfair expiry dates on gift cards.

A Consumer NZ survey found a majority of Kiwis felt gift cards should either have no expiry date or, if there was one, it should be at least five years. The survey also found shoppers could be losing up to $10 million a year on expired gift cards.
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