An internet sweep by Consumer Protection in Western Australia and a group of consumer Agencies throughout the world, has uncovered a widespread practice of misleading buyers by claiming or overplaying positive environmental claims.
Conducted by members of the International Consumer Protection Enforcement Network (ICPEN), the research found a massive 40 per cent of websites scrutinised were making environmental claims or using eco-friendly brand names or language when they weren’t supported by evidence.
Coordinated by the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority, a total of 1,095 websites were randomly selected and investigated for the first time, with a focus on misleading environmental claims.
Other Australian Agencies involved were the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Office of Fair Trading in Queensland and NSW Fair Trading.
A total of 74 Australian traders were targeted and concerns were raised about one third of them.
According to the organisers, concerns included vague claims and unclear language; own brand eco logos and labels not associated with an accredited organisation; and hiding or omitting certain information such as a product’s pollution levels.
Western Australian Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Lanie Chopping said the international sweep looked at websites promoting products and services across a range of sectors, including clothes, cosmetics and food.
“Finding four in 10 websites with potentially misleading environmental claims is quite alarming and goes to show that, without clear evidence being provided, consumers should be dubious of eco-friendly statements being made by online traders,” Ms Chopping said.
“Companies that make false or misleading claims are effectively stealing customers from traders who are offering products with a genuine environmental benefit.”
She said consumers should be able to easily choose between the traders that were doing the right thing for the environment and those who were not.
“At this early stage, regulators have not concluded that consumer protection laws have been broken, but the traders identified will now come under greater scrutiny and action will be taken if evidence of misleading consumers is found,” Ms Chopping said.
