Target (New Zealand TV series)

Infobox Television
show_name = Target


caption =
format = Consumer Affairs
camera =
picture_format = 4:3
runtime = 30 minutes (including adverts)
creator =
developer =
executive_producer =
starring = Jeanette Thomas, Brooke Howard-Smith
narrated =
opentheme =
endtheme =
country = flagicon|NZL New Zealand
network = TV3 (New Zealand)
first_aired = February 1999
last_aired = present
num_episodes =
website = [http://www.tv3.co.nz/target]
imdb_id =
tv_com_id =

Target is a consumer affairs television show in New Zealand hosted by Jeanette Thomas and Brooke Howard-Smith. The show is best known for its Hidden Camera Trials.

Current Features on the Show

Hidden Camera Trials:

This has been a major part of the show since the launch of Target in 1999.

Retail Trials

In these trials often young actors under the age of 18 are sent into a store to purchase an item restricted to persons over the age of 18, such as cigarettes, pornographic material and alcohol. To prevent breaking the law themselves, the actor is given an expired EFTPOS card or less change than required to purchase the item. Therefore, the test is to see whether the retailer would have sold the item had the actor if they had the money to do so.

Hidden Camera House Trials

Target have their own Hidden Camera house which is located in a different area of New Zealand each season. The house has Hidden Cameras throughout and is used to send various tradesmen there to carry out work, the tradesmen are left in the home alone while the occupant of the house goes out. Jobs can range from repairing appliances in the home, to building work, to electrical or plumbing work. The test is not only to see the standard of the work carried out but also the actions of the worker, whether he/she wanders into rooms of the house he/she has no reason to be in and whether the worker acts in a professional manner.

Restaurant Trials

Some trials have involved an actor visiting a restaurant or other food service place and while dining there taking a sample of the food purchased. The sample is sent to a lab for analysis. Also the standard of the service is examined and any hygiene practices.

ervice/Repair Trials

These trials were more common in the earlier seasons. A fault is created in an appliance such as a TV set, Microwave, DVD player and the item is then taken to repair outlets. When the appliance is returned to the actor the presenters then check to see whether the appliance has actually been repaired and the standard of the repair, as well as the time taken to repair the appliance and the cost.

Other Trials

The other trials have included taxis, LPG bottle fills, Children's visits to Santa (2006 Christmas Special) and standards of services such public toilets.

Product Check:

Every week the Target test family "The Coombs" test a chosen product. In this test about 5 brands of a particular product are tested by the family. The test is done by placing each brand on a colour coded dish with the members of the family not known what brand they are testing. Food items are usually taken to a lab to run other tests on the product as well.

hame On You:

Introduced in the 2007 Series, Brooke follows up on personal stories by consumers that have been ripped off, poorly dealt with or misled about a certain product. Some stories are not hard luck stories but just stories that cover wider issues and interviewing experts or affected parties. The dodgy operator is named.

econds Anyone:

New to the 2008 series, each week Jeanette looks at buying a particular item second hand. An expert will tell consumers what to look for, how much to expect to pay and which brands are the best to choose from.

Past Features on the Show

Things That Hack You Off

This was a segment in the 2006 Series, this segment covered anything that most likely 'Hacked' the consumer off, from slow service or poor service to parking fines.

Know Your Rights

This was regular segment in all of the earlier seasons from 1999 to 2003. A role play was done with two actors who would get into a different situation each week and would then ask what their rights were in this situation, the screen would then cut to David Russell from the Consumers Institute where David would explain what the consumers rights were in this situation. The role play would continue and as various points were raised once again David would explain the consumers rights in the situation.