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Woolies wins court case against ACCC over ‘Select eco’ range

Shoppers walk into a Woolworths supermarket in Sydney, Australia August 22, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Reed
Shoppers walk into a Woolworths supermarket in Sydney, Australia August 22, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Reed

In a big win for supermarket juggernaut, Woolworths, the Federal Court has ruled Woolies’ claims that its ‘Select eco’ range is ‘biodegradable and compostable’ are not misleading or false.

Australia’s consumer watchdog, the ACCC, took the case back in 2018 as it believed the representations were false or misleading, and that Woolworths did not have “a reasonable basis” to make those claims.

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Woolies’ ‘Select eco’ bowls and plates are made from bagasse, which the ACCC describes as a fibrous matter that remains after sugarcane or sorghum stalks are crushed to extract their juice.

The ‘Select eco’ cutlery is made of crystallised polylactic acid, which is a combination of fermented corn starch, chalk and other additives.

“We argued that Woolworths’ claims meant a consumer could reasonably expect the disposable products would decompose in landfills or domestic composting within a reasonable time,” ACCC chair Rod Sims said.

“We will continue to take cases against businesses that we believe are making misleading environmental claims about their products,” Sims said.

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