Mercury Energy
Assessed 16 July 2026 under NZ · Medium confidence
Evidence last captured 28 August 2026 · next re-check due 28 August 2027
We contacted this company 2 times between 6 August 2026 and 19 August 2026, by email and phone. No reply received.
A grade rules on whether a public claim is substantiated. It is not a finding about environmental performance, truthfulness, or the merit of the business. HowLegit is not a licensed adviser and nothing here is legal or investment advice.
Where this sits
All 21 energy companies, assessed against the same checklist in the same window.
Mercury Energy ranks 12 of 21 in this sector by overall score, between 47.6% and 96.0%.
Findings
Mercury's core environmental positioning is "Our generation assets produce electricity from 100% renewable sources: hydro, geothermal and wind", repeated across the homepage, about, renewable energy, Why Mercury and eTransport pages. The scope is correct and the underlying position is real. Geothermal generation emits CO2 and hydrogen sulphide, and Mercury discloses this on its geothermal and climate change pages, reached by labelled links from the renewable energy page and the sustainability page. Four of the five pages carrying the claim offer no such route.
Why this matters. The claim is accurate and the emissions context is published. What varies is whether a reader meets them together. On the renewable energy page a labelled route to the geothermal detail sits on the same page; on the homepage and Why Mercury it does not.
What closing this looks like
- Add geothermal emissions context alongside '100% renewable.' Add contextual note explaining geothermal CO2 (~10% of coal) and reinjection programme. See COBRA-MER-001 for guarded form.
- Surface geothermal emissions FAQ content to sustainability page. Existing content (CO2 per GWh, coal comparison, H2S, reinjection) is buried in FAQ.
“Our generation assets produce electricity from 100% renewable sources: hydro, geothermal and wind”
The claim is scoped to Mercury's own generation, and on that scope it is accurate: nine hydro stations on the Waikato River, five geothermal stations and wind. What the FLAG rests on is where the qualification sits. Geothermal generation emits carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, and Mercury discloses this on its geothermal and climate change pages, reached by labelled links from the generation page and the sustainability page. It is not disclosed on the homepage, the about page, Why Mercury or the eTransport page, which are the surfaces a customer meets first. A reader who encounters "100% renewable sources" on those pages is not given the emissions qualification alongside it, and electricity reaches customers through a national grid carrying other generators' output in any case.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“9 hydro stations on the Waikato River producing renewable electricity”
Verifiable and specific. Mercury operates 9 hydro stations on the Waikato River, confirmed by generation page, Companies Office filings, and Electricity Authority registry. Approximately 60% of Mercury's generation.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“5 geothermal plants in the central North Island”
Verifiable and specific. Mercury operates 5 geothermal plants (Kawerau, Mokai, Ngatamariki, Rotokawa, Nga Awa Purua). Approximately 35% of Mercury's generation. Confirmed by generation page and EA registry.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“"we recently built New Zealand's largest wind farm" (generation and renewable energy pages)”
Wind is the third of the three generation types named in the 100% renewable claim, alongside the nine hydro stations and five geothermal plants already assessed, and it was not separately assessed. The superlative is supported elsewhere on the estate by dedicated Turitea and Kaiwera Downs pages, but "recently" is undefined on the page carrying the claim, and the same section of the site states that Kaiwera Downs will be "the second largest wind farm in New Zealand" without naming which farm holds first place. This is the same undefined-currency defect the audit records on the Reader's Digest award claim.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
The sustainability page presents five value pillars, each opening with "We aspire to" and each carrying a labelled READ MORE route. The routes lead to pages with quantified content, including a climate change page reporting a fall of around 60% in generation-related emissions since 2015 and a completed Scope 3 materiality assessment. Investment figures of $590 million for the hydro upgrade programme and $75 million for geothermal drilling are published on Mercury's own news pages, reached from the site footer rather than from the sustainability page.
Why this matters. Mercury publishes the numbers. The page a customer reaches by clicking Sustainability carries five statements of intent and no measure, while the figures and the timetable sit in the investor section. The same commitments read differently to the two audiences.
What closing this looks like
- Add a geothermal emissions section to the sustainability page that discloses: (a) CO2 emissions per GWh from geothermal generation, (b) comparison to coal equivalent (approximately 10% per Mercury's own Geothermal FAQ), (c) H2S management approach, (d) carbon reinjection technology progress (70% reduction target by 2030), (e) ETS offset methodology. This information currently exists on the Geothermal FAQ page — the action is to surface it where environmental claims are made.
“Sustainability pillars: Kaitiakitanga, Kiritaki, Ngā Tāngata, Kotuitanga, Arumoni -- 'we aspire to..' framing”
Sustainability page presents five pillars using te reo Maori framing with aspirational language ('we aspire to..') repeated five times. No specific emissions data, environmental metrics, or quantified targets appear on the sustainability landing page. Aspirational claims per claim classification rules require pathway evidence -- none is provided on this page.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“$590M hydro upgrade programme, $75M geothermal drilling, 3.5TWh by 2030 (investor pages)”
The figures are specific and Mercury publishes them itself. Its news index carries "a $590 million upgrade of three of the nine hydro stations on the Waikato River", with a dated release behind a labelled link. The gap is where they sit. The investor section is reached from the footer that appears on every page, not from the sustainability page, so a customer evaluating Mercury's environmental commitments sees five aspirations and no figures, while an investor sees the figures and the timetable. Checked against Mercury's published sitemap of 543 addresses and 436 captured surfaces on 16 August 2026.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Mercury has substantiated transition commitments: 3.5TWh of new renewable generation by 2030, supported by the Kaiwera Downs wind farm and a fifth generating unit at Nga Tamariki, a $590 million hydro upgrade programme and $75 million of geothermal appraisal drilling. It also retails piped natural gas and bottled LPG. Its position on that is published at mercury.co.nz/gas/future-of-gas, which warns that prices are likely to rise and advises customers to consider switching to electricity when replacing appliances. The gas product page reaches it by a labelled link and frames the section itself around wholesale pricing.
Why this matters. The advice a gas customer needs is written and published. It is one click from the page where the gas decision is made, and the section that leads there is framed as a pricing update rather than as guidance about the fuel's future.
What closing this looks like
- Publish gas transition content or remove 'FUTURE OF GAS' heading. See COBRA-MER-003 for guarded form.
“3.5TWh new renewable generation by 2030”
Supported by completed projects: Kaiwera Downs wind farm (May 2026), Ngatamariki geothermal unit (January 2026). $590M hydro upgrade programme (13 units, +76MW, +87GWh) and $75M geothermal appraisal drilling. Credible pathway with tangible progress.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“FUTURE OF GAS section on the gas page leads with wholesale prices”
The section carries a heading, three sentences and a labelled LEARN MORE route. Its subject is wholesale gas price movement: "current supply challenges mean we've seen big shifts in wholesale gas prices". The transition content sits on the page behind that link, at mercury.co.nz/gas/future-of-gas, which tells customers to "consider switching to electricity" when building, renovating or replacing appliances. The finding is that the gas product page, where a purchase decision is made, frames the future of gas as a pricing question, and the electrification advice is one click away rather than beside the offer.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Gas retail (piped natural gas, bottled LPG) alongside 100% renewable generation positioning”
Mercury retails piped natural gas and bottled LPG while positioning its generation as fully renewable. It does reconcile the two, on mercury.co.nz/gas/future-of-gas: "As a retailer of gas (we don't produce it), we're exposed to the wholesale market", together with a warning that prices are likely to rise and advice to consider electricity. That framing is not carried to the gas product page, the homepage or the renewable energy page, where the renewable positioning appears. Checked against 436 captured surfaces on 16 August 2026.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Kaiwera Downs Stage 2: "$486 million investment will increase the wind farm's total capacity from 43MW to a total of 198MW"”
A specific, quantified transition commitment with named location, turbine count, capital figure and before-and-after capacity, published on the entity's own new builds page. It substantiates the 3.5TWh-by-2030 target already assessed under this heading with a concrete project rather than an aspiration.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Mercury reports lifecycle impacts across a substantial body of published material: a climate change page stating that geothermal operations generate greenhouse gas emissions, an FY25 Climate Statement prepared under the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards, a Climate Action Plan, and greenhouse gas inventories for FY22 to FY25. It also publishes its environmental monitoring programmes, including five-yearly geomorphic surveys of the Waikato River required under its 2006 consents. None of this is carried to the pages where the renewable claim is made. One topic is unaddressed anywhere: geothermal mercury vapour emissions.
Why this matters. The disclosure exists and is detailed. A reader meeting the renewable claim on the homepage is not routed to any of it, and one lifecycle topic reported in the scientific literature is absent from every Mercury surface.
What closing this looks like
- Disclose or remove 'carbon positive' meta description claim. Publish methodology (boundary, offset, ETS treatment) or remove from generation page.
“100% renewable claim without lifecycle emissions context where the claim appears”
Mercury publishes lifecycle context. Its climate change page states "Our geothermal operations generate greenhouse gas emissions and we are seeking to reduce these emissions each year", reports a fall of around 60% in generation-related emissions since it exited thermal generation in 2015, and records a completed materiality assessment across its Scope 3 inventory. Its FY25 Climate Statement, prepared under the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards, reports Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and a target of net zero by 2040. None of this appears on the homepage, the about page or Why Mercury, where the renewable claim is made. One element is not published anywhere: scientific literature reports geothermal mercury vapour emissions per megawatt comparable to coal, and no Mercury surface addresses it.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Carbon reinjection technology targeting 70% emissions reduction by 2030”
Technology-dependent target. Credibility rests on reinjection technology delivering the stated reduction. Non-delivery would affect the geothermal emissions narrative. Progress reporting not found on consumer-facing pages.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Geothermal FAQ: CO2 per GWh, coal comparison, H2S, reinjection programme”
Mercury does disclose geothermal emissions context -- but only in a Geothermal FAQ buried deep in site navigation. Content includes CO2 per GWh figures, coal comparison, H2S disclosure, and reinjection programme description. The content itself is good; the placement is the issue (not surfaced to sustainability page).
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
"We aspire to put customers at the heart of our business and for them to trust us to deliver innovative services that provide value and convenience."
Why this matters. Mercury states an aspiration to put customers at the heart of its business and attaches no measure to it, so a reader has nothing to test it against. Independent survey evidence runs the other way: Consumer NZ placed Mercury tenth of eleven power companies for customer satisfaction. The Mercury app is rated well, so the gap sits in the channels the aspiration does not distinguish between.
What closing this looks like
- State what putting customers at the heart of the business is measured by, publishing complaints received and resolved for the last full year beside the commitment, so an aspiration a reader cannot test is replaced by a figure they can.
“We aspire to put customers at the heart of our business and for them to trust us to deliver innovative services that provide value and convenience”
Aspirational customer commitment framed with "aspire to", which under the classification rules is assessed on evidence of a pathway. The page attaches no target, measure or timeframe to the aspiration and offers no route to one. The Mercury app is rated 4.6 on the App Store and 4.2 on Google Play, so the digital experience meets the aspiration while the channels a customer reaches by phone do not.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“We're kiwi, all the way (Facebook video)”
Mercury is 51% NZ Crown-owned, NZX-listed, headquartered in Auckland. The 'kiwi' identity claim is verifiable. Specific and accurate.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Employment policies are specific and published: 26 weeks fully paid primary carer leave, four weeks partner leave, up to four weeks gender affirmation leave, five additional MY DAYS leave days, and named employee network groups. Glassdoor rates Mercury 3.7 out of 5 overall and the same for diversity and inclusion. Material social risk is not disclosed on the same channels: the service quality of the Globug prepay brand, the $279,500 Commerce Commission fine, and tenth place in the Consumer NZ survey while the Reader's Digest award is promoted.
Why this matters. The staff policies are evidenced to a standard the risk disclosure does not match. A reader learns what Mercury offers its own people more easily than what it has been penalised for.
What closing this looks like
- Publish the Globug prepay brand's service quality data, the May 2023 Commerce Commission finding and the Consumer NZ ranking on the same pages that carry the employment policies and the Reader's Digest award, so the social record a reader meets is the whole of it rather than the favourable half.
“26 weeks fully paid Primary Carer Leave, 4 weeks Partner Leave, up to 4 weeks Gender Affirmation Leave”
Specific, verifiable workforce policies published on careers page. Also includes bereavement leave (including pets), 5 MY DAYS leave days, $400 home office payment, $100 medical check reimbursement, free life and income protection insurance. Glassdoor 3.7/5 (82 reviews) consistent with claims.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Pride Pledge signed; employee-led network groups (Pride Network, te ao Maori roopu, Ethnic & Cultural Diversity group)”
DEI commitments are specific: Pride Pledge signed (network of 300+ organisations), named employee networks, 4 weeks paid Gender Affirmation Leave. Glassdoor D&I rating 3.7/5 is consistent.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Material social risk not disclosed: Globug service quality and the $279,500 Commerce Commission penalty”
Two pieces of adverse material about Mercury's own performance appear on no Mercury surface. Reporting has recorded around 38 households a day disconnected for 12 hours or more on Globug. Mercury was penalised $279,500 in May 2023 on seven Fair Trading Act charges concerning early termination fee representations made to about 2,000 customers between 2017 and 2020. Checked against Mercury's published sitemap of 543 addresses and 436 captured surfaces on 16 August 2026.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Employee leave benefits: "MY DAYS 5 additional days leave every year" and purchasable additional annual leave”
Specific and quantified, published on both the careers page and the leave policies page, and consistent with the parental, partner and gender affirmation leave entitlements already assessed here. Verifiable as stated.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Mercury and Globug are the same legal entity, Mercury NZ Limited trading as GLOBUG, and they offer materially different products. Globug's published terms set out the prepay structure: supply is disconnected once the prepaid balance reaches $10.00 or less, and an account disconnected for 45 continuous days is terminated. Top-up fees run from 20 cents to 75 cents depending on method. Globug publishes a Consumer Care Policy written to the Electricity Authority Consumer Care Obligations, a dispute resolution page naming Utilities Disputes, the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Community Law Centre, free low balance alerts, and a reduction in debt recovery from 25 per cent to 10 per cent of each top-up over winter. Globug joins are currently paused. None of this structure is described on any Mercury-brand page.
Why this matters. The support pathways on both brands are comparable, and on independent dispute bodies Globug names more of them than Mercury does. What differs is the product, and a customer reading Mercury's own pages would not learn that the prepay option exists or how it works.
What closing this looks like
- Publish Globug service quality data on Mercury About page. Include disconnection statistics, service metrics, and improvement targets. See COBRA-MER-002 for guarded form.
- Disclose Consumer NZ ranking alongside Reader's Digest award. Add context where positive awards are promoted.
“Globug: "Always get your discount and never get a bill!" (How It Works page)”
An unqualified benefit statement with nothing behind it on any Globug page. It appears in a list of prepay benefits and no page states what the discount is, what it applies to, or what it is measured against. Nothing on the surface routes a reader to that detail. Consumer NZ's May 2026 electricity report states that prepay plans "rarely include discounts, time-of-use options or other benefits such as free periods" and "usually work out as one of the most expensive ways to buy power". It restates its research of 22 June 2023, which found prepay customers paying around 15% more on average than comparable pay-monthly plans, about 11% more in Auckland and 17% more in Christchurch. Consumer NZ advocates for electricity market reform and operates Powerswitch, the comparison site those 2023 figures were drawn from, so it is an interested and expert source rather than a neutral one. A reader cannot weigh any of it against a discount whose size is never stated. Checked across 21 Globug surfaces and the Globug Consumer Care Policy on 16 August 2026.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Globug: joining with the power already off costs $25 to $120, published in the terms and not on the join page”
The terms publish a reconnection fee schedule with four rows. The first, reconnection after a low credit balance, is free, and that is the everyday prepay event the How It Works page gives four ways to complete. The other three carry the condition "If you signup to GLOBUG and your property is currently disconnected": $25.00 remotely, $70.00 manually during business hours, and $120.00 manually outside them, Monday to Friday 5:00pm to 8:00am, weekends or public holidays. The join page states none of the three. The household most exposed to the $120.00 is one moving onto prepay with the power already disconnected, out of hours, and the amount sits on a page they have no reason to open before signing up.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Globug: disconnection once the balance reaches $10.00 or less, and account termination after 45 days disconnected”
The Globug terms confirm the prepay model. Where the prepaid credit reaches $10.00 or less after 12.00am, supply is disconnected at 12.00pm the following day, and the account application shows the same position as "disconnected at midday tomorrow". Supply that stays disconnected for 45 continuous days ends the agreement. Mercury reduces debt recovery from 25 per cent to 10 per cent of each top-up between 1 June and 30 September to help with winter costs. The structure is published on Globug's own pages and described on no Mercury-brand page.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Mercury main brand social positioning vs Globug prepay brand service quality”
Mercury claims 'customers at the heart' with credible vulnerability policies, rewards programme, multiple support channels. Its prepay brand Globug (same legal entity: Mercury NZ Limited trading as GLOBUG) has worst service quality of any NZ power company: 38 daily 12+ hour disconnections (Newsroom), 67% of prepay users shivered in winter. Globug has no rewards programme, no dedicated social media, limited support channels, and transaction fees 20c-75c per top-up. The same corporate entity operates dramatically different social realities under different brands.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Reader's Digest Trusted Brand promoted; $279,500 fine not addressed”
Selective disclosure pattern: a Reader's Digest award is promoted on the electricity page while adverse material about the same period is absent from messaging. $279,500 Commerce Commission fine (May 2023, 7 FTA charges, ~2,000 customers misled about ETFs 2017-2020) not addressed in current public messaging. Legacy issues compound current cross-channel inconsistency.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Broadband and mobile pricing is published on the page, from $70 to $115 a month for broadband and $19 to $79 for mobile, with speed claims sourced to a named report. Solar buy-back rates and the EV discount are stated with their conditions. Electricity rates show nothing until an address is entered, and the gas page carries the dual fuel discount but no unit rates. Mercury links to the independent Billy comparison tool from its customer care page.
Why this matters. A shopper can compare Mercury's telco pricing in seconds and cannot do the same for the product most of them are actually buying. Where a rate appears only after an address, the comparison happens on the seller's terms rather than the customer's.
What closing this looks like
- Publish an indicative electricity rate table beside the broadband and mobile pricing already on the page, showing the daily charge and the per-kWh rate for each pricing region, so a customer can compare Mercury with another retailer before entering an address.
“Broadband pricing: $70, $99, $115 (fibre); $69, $74, $79 (wireless); speed claims sourced to MBNZ Report 27”
Specific monthly prices published on-page for broadband plans. Speed claims reference MBNZ Report 27 (April 2026) as source, which is good practice. Transparent pricing with verifiable sourcing.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Mobile pricing: $19-$79 per month with specific savings calculations”
Specific monthly prices published. Savings calculations (e.g., 'SAVE $234* OVER 12 MONTHS') are calculated from standard to promotional price. 'Powered by Spark's network' is transparent about network dependency.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Electricity rates require address entry to view; gas rates not visible on gas page”
Electricity rates are address-gated -- standard industry practice but limits comparison. Gas rates are not visible on the gas page; only the dual fuel discount (17.25c/day) is shown. Mercury links to Billy independent comparison tool from customer care page, which is a positive indicator. The opacity of electricity and gas pricing prevents informed consumer comparison.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Dual Fuel Discount: "17.25 cents per day (incl. GST)" for electricity and gas at the same address”
The figure is published on the gas page with the GST basis stated inline, the qualifying condition named, and the mechanism explained. It is repeated in the offer terms documents at clause 8.2, including what happens when the customer no longer holds both fuels. This is the gas pricing information otherwise recorded as not visible.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Broadband speed disclosure: "Average speeds at busy times. (source MBNZ Report 27, April 2026)"”
The speed claim names its source, its measurement basis and its date, and adds "Results may vary for individual consumers" alongside the throttling thresholds for each data plan. A sourced and dated performance claim is the standard this area looks for.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Current terms disclose early termination fees, price change provisions and eligibility criteria, with a footnote to that effect carried across the electricity, broadband and mobile pages. In May 2023 the Auckland District Court fined Mercury $279,500 on seven Fair Trading Act charges over representations about early termination fees made to about 2,000 customers between 2017 and 2020. The judge described those representations as a material departure from the truth that endured for a reasonably lengthy period. The conduct was remediated and the current terms appear correctly disclosed.
Why this matters. The terms assessed here cover the same subject matter the entity was fined over, which raises what a reader should expect of the disclosure rather than what it currently says. Past enforcement does not make present terms wrong; it makes them worth checking.
What closing this looks like
- Add a governance/compliance section to the corporate website that acknowledges the May 2023 Commerce Commission finding ($279,500 fine for seven charges of misleading ~2,000 customers about early termination fees, 2017-2020). Include remediation actions taken (customer refunds, process corrections) and current controls to prevent recurrence.
“Terms, eligibility and early termination fees apply (footnotes across electricity, broadband, mobile pages)”
Current terms reference ETFs, price change provisions, and eligibility criteria. 'Prices may change during the term' is disclosed. Current disclosure appears compliant.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Reader's Digest Trusted Brand five years in a row”
The award exists and Mercury has held it. The statement on the electricity page names neither the years nor a source, and carries no route to one, so the five-year run and its currency cannot be checked from the page where the claim is made. The Gold Quality Service Award on the broadband page is handled differently and does carry a dated source, which shows the gap is specific to this statement rather than to Mercury's practice.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Mercury makes no explicit easy-switching claim and links to the independent Billy price comparison tool from its help pages. Self-service is scoped by product rather than offered across the board: the moving house page states that a customer who only has electricity can move online or in the app, while one who also has broadband or gas is asked to call 0800 10 18 10. The early termination fee conduct between 2017 and 2020 involved fees that operated against switching.
Why this matters. The customers Mercury encourages to combine services are the ones the self-service route does not cover. That asymmetry is the finding, rather than the phone call itself.
What closing this looks like
- Add a cancellation or account closure function to the My Account portal or Mercury App, enabling customers to cancel services without requiring a phone call. Currently, cancellation requires contacting Mercury directly during business hours, creating structural switching friction.
“Billy independent comparison tool linked from customer care page”
Mercury links to Billy as 'free and independent energy price comparison site' from customer care page. Positive indicator for switching enablement and price comparison.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Moving home through the app or online is offered only to customers whose only service is electricity”
Mercury's moving house page answers the question "Can I move my Mercury services through the app or online?" by saying that a customer who only has electricity can do it on the app or online, and that a customer who also has broadband or gas should call 0800 10 18 10. So the online route covers the simplest account and stops at the bundle. Mercury promotes that bundle across the site as power, broadband and mobile in one place. The exposure is that the customers it encourages to combine services are the ones the easier route no longer covers.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Award and ranking statements are substantiated unevenly. The Gold Quality Service Award on the broadband page carries a labelled route to Mercury's own release dated 10 October 2025. The Commerce Commission result is linked through the words "customer service report" but is described only as recent, with no reporting period named, and the Commission publishes the series twice a year. The Reader's Digest Trusted Brand statement on the electricity page names neither years nor source and carries no route to one. A market leadership statement about serving more New Zealanders than anyone else appears on Mercury's LinkedIn account and on no page of its website.
Why this matters. Two of these can be checked from the page they appear on and two cannot. The difference is whether the reader is given a date and a route, and Mercury already does that well in one place.
What closing this looks like
- Verify and link award claim sources. Add linked sources for Reader's Digest, Gold QSA claims. Replace 'recent' with specific dates.
- Replace 'recent' with specific report dates in Commerce Commission reference.
- Substantiate 'more kiwi than anyone else' claim on LinkedIn. Publish customer number methodology or qualify.
“Reader's Digest Trusted Brand five years in a row”
The award exists and Mercury has held it. The statement on the electricity page names neither the years nor a source, and carries no route to one, so the five-year run and its currency cannot be checked from the page where the claim is made. The Gold Quality Service Award on the broadband page is handled differently and does carry a dated source, which shows the gap is specific to this statement rather than to Mercury's practice.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Gold Quality Service Award in the Internet Service Providers category”
Substantiated. A labelled route beside the statement reaches Mercury's own release dated 10 October 2025, naming the Reader's Digest Gold Quality Service Award in the Internet Service Providers category. Source and date are both available to a reader from the page carrying the claim.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Top broadband provider for satisfaction / came top in the Commerce Commission's recent customer service report in the speed to resolution category”
The source is linked: the words "customer service report" carry a route to the Commerce Commission's own comparison page. What is missing is the date. "Recent" is used twice on the broadband page without naming the reporting period, and the Commission publishes this series twice a year, so a reader cannot tell which report is meant or whether the result still stands.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“providing energy and telecommunications to more kiwi than anyone else (LinkedIn)”
Market leadership claim on LinkedIn with no on-page substantiation. If Mercury's combined energy + telecom customer count is not verifiably the largest in NZ, this creates FTA s.12A exposure. Fonterra (dairy) and Spark (telecoms) may have larger customer bases in their respective sectors.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“"FibreMax is our fastest available WiFi" (broadband page)”
An internal superiority claim presented without a comparison basis or supporting speed figure on the page that carries it. The adjacent plan table gives prices rather than speeds. Graded consistently with the other unsubstantiated superiority claims assessed here rather than as a separate concern.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Mercury's service positioning rests on "Making energy wonderful for Aotearoa New Zealand" and "We've got dedicated teams for all your questions", neither of which carries a supporting measure. Independent survey evidence runs the other way: Consumer NZ placed Mercury tenth of eleven power companies for customer satisfaction. Waits beyond an hour and dropped calls are described across several consumer forums. The Mercury app is rated 4.6 on the App Store and 4.2 on Google Play, so the digital channel and the phone channel do not perform alike.
Why this matters. The digital experience supports the claim and the phone experience contradicts it, and the claim itself does not distinguish between them. A customer who needs to speak to someone meets the version the ratings describe.
What closing this looks like
- Publish a service standard the positioning can be tested against, stating call answer times and complaint resolution times, and show the current Consumer NZ ranking beside the Reader's Digest award, so a customer reading about dedicated teams can see how the phone channel actually performs.
“Making energy wonderful for Aotearoa New Zealand”
Aspirational brand positioning with no measure attached. The Why Mercury page states the aspiration and offers no target, timeframe or metric a reader could test it against, and no labelled route to one. Under the classification rules an aspiration is assessed on whether a pathway is evidenced, so the exposure is the absent measure rather than service performance. Consumer satisfaction data published by third parties is recorded in the diagnostic flag layer and is not used to grade this statement.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“We've got dedicated teams for all your questions”
A general service claim with no measure attached: the page states that dedicated teams handle all questions and offers nothing a reader could test that against. Consumer forums describe long waits, billing errors and difficulty reaching support, including a Geekzone thread recording waits beyond an hour and dropped calls. The claim does not distinguish between the digital channel, which is rated well, and the phone channel the reports describe.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“$300 electricity credit; 12 months half-price broadband/mobile”
Promotional pricing references conditions but conditions require navigating to separate terms documents. Not disclosed on the same page where the offer appears. Standard conditional offer with separated qualification.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Mercury bundles electricity, gas, broadband and mobile with stated discounts, including a dual fuel discount of 17.25 cents per day and twelve months at half price on broadband and mobile. The broadband page describes Mercury as "one of the few independent NZ internet providers with our own internet service provider (ISP) network, managed by us since 2007". The mobile page states plainly that the service is powered by Spark's network. Mercury is a Big 4 gentailer, 51 per cent Crown owned.
Why this matters. The word "independent" is doing two jobs in one sentence and only one of them holds. The network reading is supported in the same breath; the corporate reading is the one a consumer is likelier to take.
What closing this looks like
- Replace 'independent NZ internet provider' wording. Use network ownership framing (e.g., 'We own and manage our own ISP network').
“one of the few independent NZ internet providers with our own internet service provider (ISP) network”
The use of 'independent' is ambiguous for a Big 4 gentailer. It appears to refer to network infrastructure independence (Mercury owns its ISP network rather than wholesaling), not corporate independence. A consumer could reasonably interpret 'independent NZ internet provider' as meaning Mercury is an independent company, which it is not (Big 4 gentailer, 51% Crown ownership). 'Managed by us since 2007' supports the network ownership claim specifically.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Get the full buzz all in one place with power, broadband and mobile”
Consistent multi-service bundling message across all platforms. Mercury offers real multi-service bundling (electricity, gas, broadband, mobile) with specific bundle discounts (dual fuel: 17.25c/day; Samsung product with 2-year term; 12 months half-price). Transparent about mobile network dependency ('Powered by Spark's network').
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“ISP network tenure: "managed by us since 2007"”
This sits in the same sentence as the "one of the few independent NZ internet providers with our own internet service provider (ISP) network" claim already assessed here, and it is the part a reader can check. It supports the narrow reading of "independent" as network ownership rather than corporate independence, which is the distinction this area turns on.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Mobile network dependency: "Powered by Spark's network to help you stay connected"”
Mercury states plainly that its mobile service runs on another operator's network, on the mobile product page under a "RELIABLE COVERAGE" heading rather than in terms. Disclosing a dependency at the point of sale is the behaviour assessed here, and it contrasts with the ambiguity of the "independent" framing on the broadband page.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Mercury's environmental commitments are traceable to published evidence. Its green bonds page sets out a Green Financing Framework, assessed by DNV in a published second-party opinion, and its 2026 green bond is certified by the Climate Bonds Standard Board on behalf of the Climate Bonds Initiative, dated 6 March 2026, following certificates in 2020 and 2021. Mercury publishes greenhouse gas inventories for FY22 to FY25, an FY25 Climate Statement prepared under the Aotearoa New Zealand Climate Standards, and a Climate Action Plan recording targets submitted to the Science Based Targets initiative for verification. It holds no product-level environmental certification such as Toitu or carbonzero, and does not claim to.
Why this matters. This is the strongest part of Mercury's environmental position. Where it makes a commitment, there is a document behind it and an outside party has looked at it. The gap is placement rather than substance: this material sits in the investor and sustainability sections rather than beside the claims on the product pages.
“We have developed a Green Financing Framework to demonstrate our commitment to a more sustainable future and drive prioritisation toward more renewable energy investments”
Substantiated by third parties and dated. Mercury's green bonds page publishes the Green Financing Framework with a route to the document. The framework is assessed by DNV in a published second-party opinion, and Mercury's 2026 green bond carries certification from the Climate Bonds Standard Board on behalf of the Climate Bonds Initiative, dated 6 March 2026, with earlier certificates from 2020 and 2021. Mercury also reports greenhouse gas inventories for FY22 to FY25 and a Climate Action Plan recording emissions reduction targets submitted to the Science Based Targets initiative for verification. The commitment is traceable to evidence a reader can obtain.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Product-level environmental claims carry their conditions with them. The EV discount states 20 per cent off variable usage between 9pm and 7am with terms referenced. Solar buy-back publishes 11.1 cents per kWh flat with seasonal flex rates, and the Harrisons premium of an extra 6.9 cents per kWh for two years sits beside its GST and eligibility qualifiers. No green plan differentiation is offered that the generation position does not support.
Why this matters. This is the part of Mercury's environmental messaging a customer can act on without leaving the page. Where a number appears, its limits appear with it.
“20% off your household's variable electricity usage between 9pm and 7am (EV Discount)”
EV Discount claim is specific and substantiated. Percentage, time window, and applicability ('variable electricity usage') are all stated. Terms referenced on-page. Product-level environmental claim with appropriate qualification.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Solar buy-back rate: 11.1c per kWh flat rate; seasonal flex rates available”
Specific rates published on solar page. Disclaimers present (rates exclude GST, subject to change, network-dependent). Harrisons Solar premium (+6.9c per kWh for 2 years) also disclosed. Transparent pricing with appropriate caveats.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“leading the way in transport electrification (eTransport page)”
Aspirational positioning supported by specific initiatives: EV Discount (20% off), Big Street Bikers partnership for e-bike infrastructure, Evie conversion vehicle documented on LinkedIn. The aspiration has pathway evidence. No misleading 'green plan' differentiation detected.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Harrisons Solar premium buy-back: "an extra 6.9c per kWh for the next 2 years"”
The premium rate, its duration and its conditionality are stated together on the solar and Harrisons pages, with an asterisk carrying "Solar buy-back rates exclude GST" and "Terms and eligibility criteria apply" in the same visual block. The qualification sits with the claim rather than behind a click.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Complaint and support routes are visible and multiple: the TILI chatbot, 0800 lines, a formal feedback form, and a link to the independent Billy comparison tool from the customer care page. A medically dependent register carries a no-disconnection guarantee alongside 111 Contact Code compliance. Community commitment is quantified at $100,000 a year shared among local community and sports groups through the Employee Community Fund.
Why this matters. A customer in difficulty can find the way out without having to ask for it, and that way includes bodies Mercury does not control. That is what makes the remedy real rather than merely stated.
“Chatbot TILI, 0800 phone lines, formal feedback form, multiple contact channels”
Complaint and support channels are visible and accessible. Billy independent comparison tool linked from customer care page enables external remedy. Formal complaints process documented with Utilities Disputes Ltd escalation.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“$100,000 a year available to share among local community and sports groups (Employee Community Fund)”
Specific annual commitment quantified. Supported by named partnerships: Big Street Bikers (e-bike infrastructure), Starship Foundation deliveries (documented on LinkedIn), Hidden Hardship Hui participation.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Medically dependent register with no-disconnection guarantee, 111 Contact Code compliance”
Mercury main brand has credible vulnerability support: medically dependent register, no disconnection guarantee, 111 Contact Code compliance, payment support options. Stakeholder accessibility channels are well-established.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Te reo Maori is carried through the sustainability pillars as Kaitiakitanga, Kiritaki, Ngā Tāngata, Kotuitanga and Arumoni, each with an English translation rather than as decoration. The te ao Maori roopu is an employee-led network group. Pride Pledge is displayed on the careers page alongside gender affirmation leave and named diversity networks. No cultural or environmental imagery was found that the surrounding text does not support.
Why this matters. Cultural language used without the structure behind it is where this area usually creates exposure. Here the naming is matched by policies and groups that demonstrably exist.
“Te reo Maori sustainability pillars (Kaitiakitanga, Kiritaki, Ngā Tāngata, Kotuitanga, Arumoni) with English translations”
Te reo Maori embedded in corporate messaging through substantive framework, each pillar with English translations. Represents real cultural integration rather than superficial use. Te ao Maori roopu is employee-led, indicating authentic organisational engagement with Maori cultural values.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Pride Pledge displayed on careers page; Gender Affirmation Leave; named employee networks”
DEI visual integration is substantive with specific policies backing visual claims. No diversity washing detected. No cultural misappropriation or tokenistic visual elements identified.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
Health and safety commitments are specific: free flu jabs, a confidential assistance programme, life and income protection insurance, and $100 a year toward a medical check, published under a Health, Safety and Wellbeing heading on the careers page. Generation site monitoring forms part of the resource consent conditions on the Waikato River and at the geothermal sites. No safety incident was found in the adversarial research.
Why this matters. Safety commitments are among the easiest to assert and the hardest for a reader to test. These name what is provided and where the obligation to provide it comes from.
“Health, Safety and Wellbeing section on careers page; free flu jabs; confidential assistance programme; life and income protection insurance”
Health and safety claims supported by specific named benefits. $100 annual medical check reimbursement. No safety incidents found in adversarial research. Generation site safety monitoring part of consent conditions.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
The rewards programme is published with its full mechanics: one point per dollar paid on time, 1,500 points for a Free Power Day or a $5 credit, 3,000 for a $12 credit or a referral, and an anniversary bonus tiered by tenure. Expiry appears on the same page, with unused points expiring twelve months after they are earned and always on the last day of the month. The master terms repeat the expiry rule and set out the transitional dates for customers who joined before March 2025.
Why this matters. The limitation is disclosed as prominently as the benefit, which is the part most loyalty programmes leave to the terms document.
“Rewards programme: 1 point per $1, 1,500 points for Free Power Day or $5 credit, anniversary bonus tiered, points expire 12 months”
Rewards programme mechanics are specific and disclosed: earning rates, redemption options, anniversary bonus tiers (1-2 years = 1 day, 3-4 = 2, 5+ = 3), expiry terms. Programme structure is transparent with clear earning and redemption mechanics.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
“Rewards points expiry: "unused points expire 12 months after they're earned and always expire on the last day of the month"”
The expiry rule is stated on the rewards page in plain terms, repeated at clause 7 of the master rewards terms with the transitional dates for customers who joined before March 2025, and paired with the note that points approaching expiry can still be used to book a Free Power Day. The limitation is disclosed as prominently as the benefit.
Captured 28 August 2026 · source page ↗
What has changed since first assessment
This audit was first assessed in July 2026 and reviewed against a fuller evidence base in August 2026. The review was carried out by HowLegit on its own initiative.
- 16 July 2026Original assessmentFirst assessmentC+
Assessed against 18 captured pages and five documents.
- 16 August 2026Evidence reviewFirst assessmentC+
Assessed against 436 surfaces: 293 pages across both brands and 143 documents, including Mercury's Integrated Report, Climate Action Plan and greenhouse gas inventories for FY22 to FY25. The overall grade band did not change.
- 28 August 2026Grade basis correctedFirst assessment
The two qualitative adjustments made at first assessment were recorded as letters without being applied to the underlying scores, so each dimension's letter did not match its own number and the overall was averaged from the unadjusted figures. The Environmental adjustment is now applied to the score. The Social adjustment is removed because it rested on the same Globug evidence that already determines the S5 and S2 grades, and counting it twice is not permitted. No checkpoint grade and no claim grade changed.
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HowLegit, Mercury Energy — messaging integrity assessment. Energy sector register, assessed 16 July 2026. Overall B- (61.9%). https://howlegit.com/register/Energy/mercury-energy A grade rules on whether a public claim is substantiated, not on its truth or on the merit of the business. Not legal or investment advice. Produced by HowLegit, which also sells audits commercially. The data on this page is public.
This entry is part of a complete sector scan. Companies not listed on the Energy register were not assessed — which is not the same as being cleared.