Privacy Policy

Consumer Watch collects information needed to operate accounts, publish user-submitted reports, retain historical payment records, administer business responses and content complaints, protect the service from abuse, and understand how the website is used.

Basic report submission is free. No payment details are requested for new submissions. Records of earlier payments may remain in the system.

Information we may hold

This can include account and contact details, username, report content, evidence supplied privately, payment references, business-response information, complaint and counter-notice information, and technical or analytics information associated with use of the service.

What is public

Published report content, the selected public author identity, business profile information and published business responses can be publicly accessible and may be indexed by search engines. Private account contact details, private evidence and payment details are not intended to appear on public report pages.

Business registry information

Consumer Watch uses Companies Office bulk data to provide business lookup and profile pages. These pages may include registered names, NZBNs, registry status, trading names, business addresses, directors, shareholding records and other published registry details. Each profile identifies the source month. Registry facts and user-submitted reports are presented separately.

Some records do not contain a supplied name. These are excluded from name browse and search indexing. Profiles display supplied registry fields, including shareholder names, shareholding details and recorded shareholder addresses where supplied. Contact Consumer Watch through the correction link on a profile if information needs review.

Why information is used

Information is used to provide and secure Consumer Watch, administer reports and responses, communicate with users, process complaints, prevent misuse, maintain records and meet applicable legal obligations.

Service providers

Consumer Watch may use hosting, email, payment, analytics, security and other technology providers to operate the service. Information is disclosed to those providers only as reasonably necessary for the relevant service and subject to the arrangements applying to that provider.

Access and correction

You can contact Consumer Watch about access to or correction of personal information held about you, subject to applicable legal requirements and exceptions.

Contact

Privacy enquiries can be sent to support@consumerwatch.co.nz.

Last updated: September 2026. This policy should be kept under review as Consumer Watch’s providers and functionality change.