Avoiding Misleading And Deceptive Conduct In Green Marketing

It's an advantage these days to be seen as 'green'. Companies are desperate to capture the new green consumer market, and as a result, we are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of carbon neutral and carbon offset claims being made by businesses, and in some cases, by unscrupulous traders looking to 'greenwash' their advertising to attract consumers. As companies scramble to promote their green credentials, a number of high profile companies, both internationally and in Australia, have fallen foul of the consumer protection provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth).

Background

The newly adopted Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is designed to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by placing a cap on the amount of carbon pollution that industries can emit. The Scheme requires affected businesses and industries to purchase a permit for each tonne of carbon they emit into the atmosphere.