Thermomix told certain consumers either that refunds or replacements were not available to them, or in the case of one consumer that their entitlement to a refund or remedy was conditional on the consumer signing a non-disclosure agreement, preventing them from making negative comments about Thermomix, when this was not the case.
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/thermomix-ordered-to-pay-penalties-of-more-than-46-millionThe email reads, disarmingly with a tone effusing an underdog/small fish who just made a simple oversight but was doing the right thing voluntarily seemingly partnered with the ACCC:
This week Thermomix in Australia has reached agreement with the ACCC on jointly proposed penalties in proceedings brought against us by the ACCC. The Court approved the concessions and penalties on Wednesday 11 April, 2018.
These proceedings related to aspects of our response to managing complex issues over the past few years, including misleading customers by not informing them of a potential safety risk during a three-month period in 2014.
Firstly, we want to say how much we regret what happened, are very sorry about it, and apologise to those who were affected. In Australia, Thermomix is not a big corporation. We’re a mother-and-daughter business sincerely dedicated to good food, family and nutrition.
Awwww they’re just a couple of stay at home mums that got caught up in a whole lot of legal mumbo jumbo...
WRONGThere were calls by consumer advocacy group Choice for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate the safety of Thermomix, after 87 burns cases were revealed in a mass incident report. 87 people but still they did nothing, actually hold on they did do something this:
1. TRIED TO CONCEAL THE EVIDENCE: News reports have also indicated that once users report the incident to Thermomix, the appliance is taken by the company for examination but never seen again.
2. ATTEMPTED TO HIDE THE INJURIES: by failing to make mandatory reports to the ACCC after becoming aware their product was hurting people.
3. LYING TO CONSUMERS TRYING TO FORCE PEOPLE WHO DODNT KNOW THEOR RIGHTS TO SIGN HUSH AGREEMENTS IN ORDER TO GET THEIR DAMGEROUS PRODUCT FIXED/REPLACED: Thermomix represented to certain consumers that the ACL remedies to which they were entitled could only be obtained by signing agreements with non-disclosure terms and other terms that prevented them from making disparaging comments about Thermomix. The ACCC also alleges that Thermomix represented to other consumers that it would not provide refunds or replacements as a remedy at any time.
So yeah I’m really disappointed by the email I got from Thermomix. They wilfully and knowingly did the wrong thing enough to attract a $4,000,000 odd dollar fine (not bad to be able to afford that as a “little family business”) They hurt people and tried to do whatever deceptive act they could to duck out of paying anything to anyone, instead happily taking our money and making huge profits, greedily lying and cheating people so as not to have to give any money back.
If you’re going to charge $2,000 for a appliance that costs around $377 to make then at least be there for your customers when they need you.
Disgusting
