A kitchen appliance company paid $79,200 in fines over allegations two of its products were falsely labelled as NDIS-approved.

Vorwerk Australia, operating under the name Thermomix, received four infringement notices from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for allegedly providing false or misleading information to customers online.

The ACCC claims that Thermomix inaccurately advertised the Thermomix TM6 cooking appliance and the Kobold cordless vacuum and mop as being endorsed by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) or as registered entities with the NDIS.

A spokesperson for parent company Vorwerk Australia said the organisation “would never intentionally or knowingly mislead any consumers”.

The allegations suggest that the products were promoted with descriptions such as NDIS approved, NDIS-registered product, NDIS-consumables, NDIS assistive technology, and NDIS equipment.

ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said misleading consumers experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage was concerning.

“We will not hesitate to take appropriate action,” Cass-Gottlieb said.

“The NDIS does not provide specific approval for any particular goods or services.”

The ACCC said the payment of the penalty is not an admission of contravention of Australian consumer law.

A spokesperson for parent company Vorwerk Australia said: “We have not hesitated to take appropriate action to remedy all instances of concern raised by the ACCC,” the spokesperson said.

“While some of the website references pre-date the acquisition of The Mix Australia Pty Ltd, we take full responsibility for communicating with all our customers in a clear and compliant manner.”

The spokesperson said in November 2024, Vorwerk International & Co. KmG completed an acquisition of The Mix Australia Pty Ltd.

After the acquisition, The Mix Australia Pty Ltd was renamed as Vorwerk Australia Pty Ltd.