Clorox has been fined $8.25 million by Australia’s consumer watchdog for falsely advertising GLAD garbage bags as made from recycled plastic retrieved from the ocean, misleading customers for over two years.
Heloise Vyas reports for ABC News
In short:
- Clorox admitted that GLAD bags labeled as made with “50% ocean plastic” were actually produced using plastic collected near coastlines, not from the ocean itself.
- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found the labeling misleading and said it misrepresented the product's environmental benefits.
- In addition to the penalty, Clorox must establish a compliance program, publish corrections, and help pay the ACCC's legal fees.
Key quote:
"Claims about environmental benefits matter to many consumers and may impact their purchasing behavior."
— Gina Cass-Gottlieb, chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Why this matters:
Greenwashing, the practice of overstating the environmental benefits of a product, erodes public trust and can slow real progress on sustainability. These deceptions also hurt businesses that invest in genuine, often costlier, sustainable practices. Mislabeling products as made from “ocean plastic” can especially prey on widespread concern over marine pollution. Regulatory action, like that taken by the ACCC, signals a growing crackdown on false eco-claims and highlights the need for greater transparency in green marketing.
Read more: Opinion: The myth of plastic recycling needs reevaluation
