Yesterday, consumer watchdog Choice raised the alarm when routine testing found some LG fridges needed 20 per cent more power than their advertised levels.
LG sold two models of fridge in Australia until the end of last year that did not perform as advertised, with the fridges slipping into energy-saving mode when they were not meant to. Choice believed this to be because of an illegal device banned since 2007.
LG’s director of marketing in Australia, David Brand, told ABC’s PM program the company did not deliberately break the law.
“Obviously we’re moving as quickly as we can to try to address this situation that’s unfortunately occurred,” Mr Brand said.
“LG is currently undertaking an investigation both here and in Korea to try to understand what we can do to learn from this and to improve upon this situation.”
“I’m sure there’s some out there who may have that view, but we take our product quality very, very seriously,” Mr Brand said.
“We take satisfying consumers’ needs with a high-quality product very seriously and we certainly wouldn’t do anything of the sort.”
To remedy the situation, initially the company offered a $331.20 rebate to customers for the increased running costs of these two fridges over the advertised power consumption ratings. After this was deemed not enough by some in the media, the company has come forward offering a full refund to customers who request it.
In a statement LG commented saying: “LG is also aware that some consumers will have purchased the fridge on the basis of its efficiency credentials and are therefore offering consumers either a replacement fridge which meets the energy rating standards advertised or a full refund of the purchase value of the fridge.”
According to LG, only 214 out of the 1,259 consumers who purchased one of these refrigerators have accepted the rebate offer from the company.
