Consumer Service Project For 1968

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31597, 7 February 1968, Page 10

Consumer Service Project For 1968

The Consumers’ Institute hopes to publish the results of more than 24 tests this year, says Mr G. E. Wood, chairman of the Consumer Council, in a report in the "Consumer” magazine. The most important test of the year will be of New Zea-land-made carpets, in which 16 brands of various weaves and textile content are compared for pile loss, colour change, “tracking” and durability. The carpets were installed at Wellington Airport and about 40,000 persons walked over them in seven or eight months. Mr Wood says other topics will be medicated toilet soaps, cold breakfast cereals, silver polishes, the safety of electric fences, flowers by wire service, toothbrushes, kitset furniture, cycle tyres and typewriter ribbons.

The institute hopes to advise members on budgeting, buying houses and on hirepurchase.

“We hope to explain,’’.says Mr Wood, “how a husband can best protect his wife against the possibility of his unexpected death, and to begin an examination of the plight of the elderly and of others on fixed incomes. “We will continue to warn

you about deceptive packaging, high-pressure sales tactics. misleading advertising, mail fraud, and worthless products.”