Greens refer Woolies paper products enviro claim to ACCC

Commenting on a story on page 6 of today’s Sydney Morning Herald, Dr Kaye said: “Woolworths’ Select brand products are manufactured by Asian Pulp and Paper (APP) which illegally cleared indigenous forests to build roads and develop a large eucalyptus plantation in China.

“APP also has an appalling environmental and social track record in Indonesia.

“Consumers seeking to make ethical purchases are being badly misled by claims made on the label that these products are manufactured by ‘a company that  is environmentally, socially and economically responsible’.

“We will refer the matter to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission. Consumers who want to do the right thing by the environment should be protected from false and misleading labelling that exploits their ethical behaviour.

“Woolworths has already admitted that there are problems with APP.

“A month ago Woolworths withdrew APP products made in Indonesia after media exposure of the performance of the company in that country. They were subsequently returned to the shelves with the labels covered up.

“However Select brand toilet paper made in China still carries APP’s ‘Sustainable Forest Fibre’ logo and claims of the company’s environmental responsibility.

“Woolworths is allowing consumers to choose products thinking they are doing the right thing by the environment. They are in fact supporting a company that is in trouble for illegally clearing forests in China and is notorious for its environmentally damaging and unsustainable logging practices in Indonesia.

“Woolworths admitted there were problems with APP’s environmental claims when it withdrew the Indonesian products but it continues to push the Chinese products,” Dr Kaye said.