Concert tickets that surge to $1,650, an airline pocketing $75m of unused flight credits and a washer/dryer cycle that takes 25 hours have all made the dishonour roll in consumer advocacy group Choice’s annual Shonky awards. Now in their 21st year, the Shonkys spotlight Australia’s worst products and services as decided by Choice. Choice awarded Virgin a Shonky gong for imposing strict deadlines on customers to use credits issued for cancelled flights between 2020 and 2022, amid Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Customers had to book their trips by 30 June this year, and had to use the credits for flights taking off before 27 May 2027. This resulted in $75m of credits going unused and then being returned to Virgin’s bottom line, according to Choice. A spokesperson for Virgin Australia said: “More than 93% of Covid credits were redeemed by guests, supported by strong bookings over the past four years.
Dynamic pricing – common in transport and hotel sectors, but a more recent phenomenon for live events – describes products whose prices fluctuate based on demand. For example, when a popular concert goes on sale, ticket prices may go up as more customers join the online queue. Choice said John Farnham fans who logged on to Ticketek looking to secure tickets to a tribute concert earlier this year found themselves facing variable prices.
Similarly, NRL supporters who bought tickets to some matches in 2026 through Ticketmaster reported “in demand” seats selling for $50 more than regular seats, even though they were only one row and one bay apart. A spokesperson for Ticketmaster said it did not use surge pricing or algorithms that automatically increase prices in response to real-time demand, and that prices were set by event organisers. The Albanese government promised to restrict dynamic pricing in 2024, but did not include any prohibitions against the practice in its new laws designed to limit unfair trading practices, due to come into effect in 2027.
Choice’s chief executive officer, Monique Perry, said the organisation wanted to see expanded price-gouging laws to protect consumers. Perry said Choice decided which products to consider for Shonky awards based on consumer feedback. Perry said calling out companies sometimes resulted in tangible actions, such as Commonwealth Bank pledging to refund $68m of fees after Choice gave it a Shonky in 2025 for charging $270m in excessive fees to low-income customers.
This year, Hisense got a Shonky for advertising a washer/dryer model as “super energy efficient”. However, Choice says the energy rating can only be achieved on the 2025 Series 8i heat pump combo washer/dryer (HCF8I1215HB) if one uses its 13.5-hour “eco” dry cycle, and 728-minute wash cycle – more than 25 hours combined for a wash and dry. A spokesperson for Hisense said: “The energy rating displayed on our product is determined in accordance with the Australian government’s regulated Energy Rating Scheme and the applicable Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) requirements.
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