Choice (consumer organisation)

Choice (consumer organisation)
Name	Choice
Type	Non-profit organisation
Founded	1959
Founder	Alan Marles
Headquarters	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Key people	Fiona McCormack (CEO)
Area served	Australia
Focus	Consumer advocacy, product testing, public policy

Choice (consumer organisation) is an Australian independent consumer advocacy group and product-testing organisation founded in 1959. It operates national testing facilities and campaigns on consumer rights, safety, telecommunications, energy, finance and health-related product issues. Choice produces magazines, reports and online resources aimed at informing Australian consumers and influencing public policy.

History

Choice was established in 1959 by Alan Marles with support from the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Royal Australian Consumers' Association (early supporters), and consumer activists influenced by post‑war consumer movements originating from the United Kingdom and the United States. In the 1960s and 1970s Choice expanded laboratory testing programs in parallel with developments at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and regulatory reforms such as the Trade Practices Act 1974 (later the Competition and Consumer Act 2010). During the 1980s and 1990s Choice increased investigative journalism, aligning with media outlets like the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and consumer sections in major newspapers such as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. In the 21st century Choice adapted to digital distribution, launching an online subscription model and collaborating with international counterparts including Which? in the United Kingdom, Consumer Reports in the United States, and testing networks within the International Consumer Research & Testing consortium.

Mission and activities

Choice's mission emphasizes product testing, consumer information and public-interest advocacy. It undertakes independent testing of goods and services across sectors including electronics, household appliances, food, health products, insurance, banking and telecommunications. Choice engages with Australian policy institutions such as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Australian Energy Regulator, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Therapeutic Goods Administration to advocate regulatory reform. It provides legal and purchasing guidance influenced by decisions from courts such as the High Court of Australia and tribunal outcomes from bodies like the Australian Competition Tribunal. Choice also collaborates with consumer bodies such as the Consumers Federation of Australia and participates in international dialogues with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

Publications and testing

Choice publishes a monthly magazine, investigative reports and online databases of product ratings. Its testing facilities conduct comparative assessments using laboratory standards aligned with international methods promoted by ISO and testing protocols shared with Which? and Stiftung Warentest in Germany. Choice's publications have been cited in outlets including The Australian Financial Review, The Guardian (Australia), and academic journals from institutions like the University of Sydney and Monash University. Long-form investigations have intersected with inquiries such as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s market studies and Senate committee hearings including the Senate Economics References Committee. Choice also provides consumer guides referencing regulatory frameworks like the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Consumer Law.

Campaigns and advocacy

Choice has campaigned on issues including product safety recalls, misleading advertising, energy pricing, digital privacy and financial product transparency. Notable campaigns targeted practices by multinational corporations and domestic firms scrutinized in media exposés alongside outlets such as ABC News and Four Corners. Choice’s advocacy has influenced parliamentary inquiries in the Parliament of Australia, regulatory updates at the Australian Communications and Media Authority, and standards changes at bodies such as Standards Australia. Campaign themes have included safer baby products after incidents reported by Product Safety Australia, clearer food labeling following engagement with Food Standards Australia New Zealand, and stronger rights for banking customers referenced in reports by the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry.

Funding and governance

Choice operates as a not-for-profit member-funded organisation. Revenue streams include memberships, subscriptions, testing fees, advertising standards-compliant promotions and philanthropic grants from foundations active in public policy such as those affiliated with civic philanthropy in Australia. Choice maintains governance structures with a board of directors and CEO accountable to members and regulatory reporting obligations under the ACNC registration framework. Its independence claims are underpinned by policies to avoid conflicts with corporations it tests; these governance practices are comparable to those at Which? and Consumer Reports.

Impact and controversies

Choice’s testing and campaigns have prompted product recalls, policy amendments and consumer compensation in several high-profile cases referenced in reporting by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, and parliamentary transcripts from the House of Representatives and Senate. Controversies have included disputes over testing methodologies with manufacturers, legal challenges invoking trade practices and defamation law, and debates over membership-funded models versus commercial revenue as seen in comparisons with Stiftung Warentest. Critics have sometimes accused Choice of bias or sensationalism in media coverage, while supporters cite outcomes in regulatory reforms and improved consumer protections, including actions influenced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and consumer law enforcement.

Category:Consumer organisations in Australia