Complaint number: 25/277
Advertiser: NZ National Party
Advertisement: NZ National Party Digital Marketing
Date of Decision: 18 November 2025
Outcome: Settled

Advertisement: The NZ National Party advertisement which appeared on the Stuff website said “Inflation is down from 7% to 2.7%. And more families are moving onto lower mortgage rates.” The advertisement included the authorisation statement which stated the advertisement was funded by the Parliamentary Service.

Complaint: A National Party digital advertisement claims ‘Inflation is down from 7% to 2.7%’
The 2.7% portion is inaccurate, leading viewers to believe that inflation has fallen further than it has. As reported recently inflation is at 3%. The advertiser has deliberately selected an older figure. Inflation is a figure that changes, but not often. Other advertisers such as banks
that advertise percentages subject to change, do so with the requisite care so as to not mislead.

Relevant Codes: Advertising Standards Code – Principle 2, Rule 2 (b) Truthful Presentation, Rule 2 (e) Advocacy Advertising;

Decision: The Complaints Board Chair had accepted the complaint to go before the Complaints Board to consider whether the Advertising Standards Code had been breached. As part of the self-regulatory process, advertisers have the option of amending or removing their advertising after receiving a complaint. In this case the Advertiser confirmed the advertisement had been running well before the CPI change and it was an over-sight that it had not been updated once the CPI changed. The Advertiser confirmed they had updated the inflation rate quoted in the advertisement to 3% upon receipt of the complaint.

Given the Advertiser’s co-operative engagement with the process by amending the advertisement, the Chair ruled the complaint was settled.