Privatising the Ports of Auckland has the potential for major price hikes to be passed onto consumers, a report from the Maritime Union shows.

Consumer watchdogs believe New Zealanders may be taken aback after they revealed the expected lifespan of some household appliances.

Budgeting services say they are seeing families who have made all the cutbacks possible, yet prices just keep on going up. At one supermarket, a dozen barn eggs increased from $3.91 to $10.49.

Fettle is offering members access to private healthcare funded through regular contributions to a personalised fund.

The shift could remove up to 900,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year by 2050.

The transport software company is looking to raise $50 million to repay debt and further expand its growth strategy, particularly in North America.

One NZ has ranked the lowest in a customer service survey of telecommunications companies across the country, with Skinny taking out the top overall spot.

Electric Kiwi chief executive Luke Blincoe said the Electricity Authority has failed to take action, so he has gone to the Commerce Commission.

The first distribution centre at New Zealand’s biggest inland port was opened in Waikato on Wednesday.