Choice Names 2026 Shonky Award Winners Including Ticket Virgin Australia

Consumer advocacy group Choice has released its annual Shonky awards, highlighting Australia's worst products and services for the current year. Among the dishonours is Ticket Virgin Australia issues, reflecting ongoing consumer frustrations with travel credits and ticketing practices. Now in their 21st year, the Shonkys spotlight problematic consumer offerings based on feedback from the public. Virgin received a Shonky gong after imposing strict deadlines on customers to use credits issued for cancelled flights between 2020 and 2022 due to Covid-19 restrictions. According to Choice, customers were required to book by June 30 and complete travel by May 27, 2027, resulting in seventy-five million dollars of unused credits returning to Virgin's bottom line. A Virgin spokesperson stated that over ninety-three percent of Covid credits were redeemed by guests and that the fly-by date was extended to give travelers more time. Ticketing giants Ticketmaster and Ticketek also received awards for utilizing dynamic pricing and in-demand seats to inflate live event prices. John Farnham fans looking for tribute concert tickets faced variable prices reaching up to sixteen hundred fifty dollars, while NRL supporters reported fifty-dollar markups for seats separated by only one row. A Ticketmaster spokesperson maintained that event organizers set prices closer to market value and that costs do not automatically increase from queuing. Other dubious winners included Hisense for an energy-rated washer-dryer model requiring a combined twenty-five-hour wash and dry cycle, Petcover for an insurance policy that resets conditions annually, and Quest for high markups on protein chips compared to standard snacks. Choice chief executive officer Monique Perry called for expanded price-gouging laws and consumer protections. > Consumer advocacy group Choice names the worst products and services of the year in its annual Shonky awards. ## Why it matters These awards highlight prevalent consumer grievances regarding airline credits, live event pricing transparency, and appliance energy efficiency claims. The findings draw attention to regulatory gaps and the pressing need for strengthened consumer protections in Australia. Readers in India and South Asia can observe how consumer advocacy groups challenge corporate practices and push for legislative reform in international markets.