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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Peter Hannam

ACCC to crack down on ‘greenwashing’ after survey reveals spike in misleading claims

Tree planting by the carbon offset company, C02 balance
Firms making vague claims topped the list of most common issues, with many describing their products as ‘green’, ‘kind to the planet’, or ‘eco-friendly’. Photograph: Global Warming Images/Alamy

The competition watchdog will step up its probe of companies’ environmental claims after an initial sweep found more than half made misleading statements ranging from overstating climate action to developing their own certification schemes.

The survey of 247 businesses or brands across eight sectors by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission last October found 57% had promoted “concerning claims about their environmental credentials”.

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